


After Death

by kelakair



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Edo Tensei-ed!Kakashi, From the end of Pein Arc until the end of Fourth War, Gen, Gen Story, Hatake Kakashi-centric, Kakashi will NOT be resurrected
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-05
Updated: 2018-06-30
Packaged: 2018-10-14 23:53:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 9
Words: 26,968
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10546490
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kelakair/pseuds/kelakair
Summary: Pein was defeated, but Nagato died before he could resurrect the casualties. However, someone decided to use a forbidden technique to bring the Copy Ninja back to this world for his own evil sake. When former students and friends became enemies, and the man he thought was long dead turned out to be still alive, now Kakashi must make his choice. Gen story, Edo Tensei-ed!Kakashi





	1. Another Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer： I don't own Naruto. （We all know that, so I'll only say it once.）
> 
> Thank SweetDreamsAreMadeOfNaruto for betareading!
> 
> Welcome to my new story! It's a canon-based one, from Kakashi's death during Pein's invasion till the end of the Fourth War. Basically focusing on Team Seven and Team Minato, especially Kakashi's interactions with Naruto, Sasuke and Obito. Kakashi will NOT be resurrected through the whole story.
> 
> Hope you enjoy!

Unlike when Sandaimei's funeral had been carried out four years ago, it was a bright sunny day today.

Far from the downtown of Konoha, the cemetery was not seriously destroyed. As long as they were capable to move, all shinobi who had survived from the catastrophe gathered here, supporting each other, stumbling and tottering.

To say the last goodbye to their families and comrades.

Many people threw quiet looks to the blond shinobi at the first row. He had defeated Pein the Six Paths, and ended Konoha's suffering. The boy who had once been feared and isolated by almost everyone in the village, had become their savior now.

But he had also lost more.

Less than one month since the news of Jiraiya's death had arrived... Uzumaki Naruto was going to bid farewell to his other teacher.

"Shizune...san...Kakashi...sensei..."Sakura was sobbing by his side, and it sounded like sharp knives cutting through Naruto's broken heart. "I'm sorry, Naruto... I failed to save their lives, I failed... I'm a medic, but I was not able to save anyone..."

Naruto was staring at the photo frame in the front. He hadn't blinked for at least five minutes. He felt the muscles on his face stiff and his eyes sour, but there were no tears.

He was no longer a kid, living under his teachers' shields, carefreely enjoying their protections.

He has grown up. He must grow up, and be strong. He must stride along the road he had chosen, walking straightforward, never stop or retreat.

No matter how much more pain and bitterness he would experience, how many more important people he would lose.

Father, master, sensei.

He would inherit their will - the Will of Fire, and carry through his ninja way unswervingly.

"It's ok, Sakura," said Naruto with a hoarse voice. "You've tried your best. Everyone has tried their best. Tsunade Baa-chan is still in a coma, and you need to brace yourself up."

"We are disciples of the Sannin... We are Team Kakashi. Be strong."

As the leader of jonin, Nara Shikaku officiated the ceremony. Konoha was still in reconstruction, there were little time left for remembering and sorrow. After a short eulogy, it was the relatives' and friends' turn to present flowers to their lost ones.

Holding a white chrysanthemum in his hand, Naruto came to the front and stopped at the photo frame.

In the photo, twelve-year-old Hatake Kakashi looked over coldly with a _pair_ of black eyes.

The jonins' dorm had been totally devastated under Pein's Shinratensei. Kakashi had no living relatives, so Naruto, Sakura, Yamato and Gai had worked together to collect his belongings. Digging from the ruins, the four shinobi had found two team photos and an old iron casket protected by a seal; besides those there had only been some uniforms, ninja tools, and other daily living goods that were distributed by Konoha.

As the Copy Ninja who was famous among all five nations, he left quite few personal effects after his death.

They needed a photo to be his deadee. Usually, after a shinobi reached a higher rank, a new personal file would be created, and a new photo would be taken. However, Kakashi had changed a lot since he was promoted to jonin, so it would be much better if they could find a single photo of him in his adulthood. With other three's consent, Yamato released the seal on the small box, and opened it carefully.

To their disappointment, there were no photos of Kakashi in it. What were kept in the casket was a broken tanto, a kunai with an unusual shape, a worn first-aid kit, and a pair of orange goggles.

Seeing those things, Gai's expression became very strange; before Naruto and Sakura could ask, the jonin had reached out and slammed down the lid.

"No need to check again." He looked away, trying hard to hold his choking voice, "These... aren't even Kakashi's own stuff."

Effects of his parent, teacher and friends, and the photos of his genin team and the genin team he was leading.

Was there anything that was unique to Hatake Kakashi himself?

_None._

The man was hidden in mysteries when he was alive, and left nothing behind after death.

Getting back to reality from memories, Naruto looked up at his sensei in the deadee, who was even younger than Naruto today. He had two good eyes, and his gaze was sharp and grim, just like a pointed blade buried in the ice, totally different from who he was decades later.

He has never known Kakashi had become jonin at the age of twelve. He has never known twelve-year-old Kakashi had been like this.

Not for the first time, Naruto deeply realized that he had learned too little about his sensei. Furthermore, there would not be any chance for him to learn more about Kakashi face to face.  
————————————————————

Two days later.

On the Training Field 3, Naruto and Sakura was standing in front of the Memorial Stone, looking down at the particular name that had been recently carved.

It was not a prearranged activity; they had met each other here by chance at the crack of dawn. In the next few hours, neither of them had spoken a word.

They just stood there for a long time.

"I dreamed about the past last night," Sakura suddenly broke the silence. After her sensei and senior sister apprentice had dead, her master fell into a coma and probably would never wake up again, the kunoichi had rapidly grown to be more mature in a few days.

From Sakura, Naruto could see himself back to a month ago - himself after overcoming the loss of Jiraiya.

"Once we tried to reveal Kakashi-sensei's mask. Sasuke-kun... he suggested us to take turns to track him. It was a rainy day when it came to my turn, and I was hiding in the bushes, watching Kakashi-sensei standing in front of the Memorial Stone without moving for a long while."

Sakura chuckled at the old days. She reached out, fingers ran through the hairs that were falling over her eyes, and put them behind her ear.

"But it was a trick. He made a scarecrow of himself and put it there. However, now I can't help myself to think that... "

She lowered her hands, squeezing them tightly, which made the leather gloves let out small rustilings.

"...has he himself ever been like a scarecrow, standing here for a long, long time?"

Naruto listened sliently. He opened his mouth after a while.

"...You remind me of something. I've seen him here, in front of the Memorial Stone. It happened before I went to have a trip with Ero-sennin. I was wondering around in the village, saying goodbye to everyone... Then I came to the Training Field 3. I saw him standing here... just at the spot we are standing now."

The faded memory became colorful and vivid again, and those details that seemed to be ignored at that time and quickly forgotten afterwards also emerged to the surface, and became very clear.

"I asked him what he was doing. He smiled, and said he had just come out to have a walk and accidentally arrived here... only several minutes earlier than me. Then he said he would like to treat me with ramen; I was happy and left with him without thinking further. But when I see back now... His hair and shoulders had been moist with dew, and it didn't dry out until nine o'clock in the morning. On that day... how long exactly had he been standing in front of the Memorial Stone?"

The two shinobi fell silent. There was one question rolling over in their minds, which had puzzled them for many years, but were never deliberated before; why was Kakashi always late?

Had he come here every time before meeting with them? What had he been thinking when standing here?

Had he been like them today, full of agony and regret in heart?

But the truth would never be revealed now.

"Naruto...do you remember? When Team 7 was just formed, Kakashi-sensei gave us the bell test, and taught us teamwork..."Sakura said slowly and looked up. Her gaze lingered on the upper half of the Memorial Stone. "He said his best friend's name was carved here. Who... is that ?"

"The name is Uchiha Obito."

It was not Naruto who answered the question. Gai's voice suddenly came out behind them.

The two turned around immediately. Konoha's Blue Beast was standing behind them. He has lost his excessive abundant energy, and looked serious and haggard.

"Yeah, that's it." Gai nodded briefly after seeing Naruto and Sakura's expressions. "It was just like what you are thinking about. Uchiha Obito, he was the man who gave Kakashi the Sharingan."

No one spoke up after that. Gai took his eyes off the Memorial Stone after staring for a short while, and looked back at the two teenagers.

"We still have a lot of thing to do," he said in a low voice. "The village needs to be rebuilt, and the remaining members of Akatsuki are still out there, and might come to attack us at any time. What's more... You two are still going to get Sasuke back, aren't you?"

"Of course!" Naruto answered determinedly.

"Good! You need to have this vigor to be youthful!" Gai smiled and thumbed up at Naruto. "I'm going back now, and you guys had better come along soon!"

Saying that, he turned around, but stopped after a few steps.

"And there's one more thing..." he didn't look back, "No need to be too sad. My words may not sound pleasant to your ears, but it is probably Kakashi's true thought. For him... death is only disengagement."

"His families, and his teammates... were all in the other world... longing to reunite with him."

Leaving these words, Gai disappeared in a puff of white smoke. At where he had stood, shining drips slowly slid down along the grass blades.  
————————————————————

Here was the Akatuski's lair.

In a spacious and empty room, the three members of Team Taka were sitting silently on the floor, while their leader, Uchiha Sasuke, was sitting at the end of a long stone table, keeping a close watch on the man sitting at the opposite side, and his orange swirl-mask.

_"Uchiha Madara"._

The man who had truly manipulated Akatsuki. The man who told him the truth about Itachi. The man who would give him a hand to get his revenge to Konoha.

Same as Sasuke, "Madara" was sitting on a high-backed armchair. He set an elbow on the armrest, fist under his chin, leg crossed. His posture was lazy, but somehow Sasuke could felt that the man was in a slight anxiety.

What was he waiting for?

Sasuke got his answer soon.

"It's over." Beginning with these words, Zetzu rose slowly from the floor. "Pein has failed. Nagato died from exhaustion, in front of Uzumaki Naruto. Konoha was severely destroyed, and the Godaimei Hokage Tsunade is in a coma, but they have already begun rebuilding their village with the lead of the council."

"Hn. I knew they were all useless trashes," "Madara" snorted relentlessly, showing no sympathy to his deceased subordinates. He lifted himself up from the chair. "Time is short... I'll have to do it myself."

"By the way, there is good news for you." The corner of the lips on the white side of Zetsu's face curled up. " _He's dead, that Hatake Kakashi._ You know what it means, don't you?"

Hearing the familiar name, Sasuke, who had kept an indifferent face all along, widened his eyes slightly. However, that was all he had shown.

And the reaction of "Madara" caught his attention.

For a moment, he could felt the chakra signal of the man became incredibly wild and furious, as if it's owner was going to begin a bloody massacre; but in less than a tenth of a second, it was suppressed by force, and sealed off firmly.

It was just like nothing had happened.

"I see," said "Madara" after a short silence. His tone was calm and hard, and there was no emotions in it. "Konoha lost one of their strongest soldiers. It's good."

White Zetsu raised his brow. "And you," he turned to Sasuke. "You got your Chidori from Kakashi, right? Don't you want to say something?"

"Is it still meaningful to have some empty words when I've decided to destroy Konoha by my own hands? "Sasuke asked in reply. "Now there is only hatred between me and the people of Konoha... They were nothing to me."

The eyes of the raven-haired teenager suddenly turned crimson, and he smiled darkly. "And you've just reminded me... It is really a pity that Kakashi, who loves Konoha most, will not be able to see that the village is going to be ruined by the jutsus that are derived from his Chidori."

"Well well... How ruthless, both of you," White Zetsu clicked his tongue. "One is his former student, and the other is..."

"Shut up," Black Zetsu suddenly said, stopped him from continuing. "You've said too much."

While Zetsu was talking to Sasuke, "Madara" was just standing there, listening without a word. After Black Zetsu spoke up, he was still silent and just walked towards the door. Giving a last glance at Sasuke, Zetsu also turned around and followed him out.

"Wait for me outside, all of you," Sasuke suddenly said in the silence. "I would like to be alone for a while."

Jyuugo, Suigetsu and Karin looked at each other, before they obeyed their leader's order without questioning.

The door was shut again. Lowering his head, Sasuke looked at his own hands. As if acting on their own, his finger moved, and formed five familiar signs, mouse, ox, monkey, ox, rooster...

The sound of crying birds hovered across the empty room.

From now on, there was only one person left in the world as the user of the justu.

_"In the end, those who tasted revenge were not satisfied... it ended in tragedy. You'll only hurt and suffer more. Even if you are successful in your revenge, all you'll be left with is emptiness."_

The silver-haired jonin's quiet voice echoed in Sasuke's ears.

_Kakashi... If you were still alive, seeing what have I become, what would you have said?_

The scarlet of Sharingan flickered in his eyes. Sasuke clenched his hands, and the lightning immediately dissipated.

_What I've been long detested was your composed attitude, no matter what happens. As if you know everything. As if you have experienced everything._

_"For me, there are no longer any important people. They have all... been killed already."_

_"I'm much older than you, and have lived in a long, hard era. I understand how terrible true pain and loss are."_

_Ahh, you are right. You did foresee it. After killing Itachi, I did feel empty. After knowing Itachi's truth, I did hurt and suffer more._

_But you haven't foreseen Itachi's truth, and what have I become now._

_Now I got new goals and motivation to live on; my revenge isn't finished yet. I will never stop before it comes to the end._

_And this time - It's towards Konoha._

Sasuke rapidly stood up. His eyes were sharp and stern. He went to the doorway and opened the door.

His team members all turned to him.

"Let's go," he said coldly, with no expression on his face. "To Konoha."

_"We aren't the lucky ones... that's for sure. But we aren't the worst off either."_

_Yeah. You're right, Kakashi._

_Fortune showed its last mercy, to prevent you from seeing your students killing each other with your own eyes._  
————————————————————

"Madara" was in his private room.

He took off the cloak with red clouds, and pulled down his mask. He stood in front of a mirror, looking at his own scarred face, and the blood-red right eye.

Uchiha Obito looked at himself in the mirror.

_He's dead, that Hatake Kakashi._

The sound of White Zetsu kept repeating these words in his mind.

He should be glad. Because Kamui lost its shortage, and nobody else would be able to intervene that dimension, revealing the secret of his justu; Pein had made him a huge favor, completing what he had long planned to do, but somehow failed to actually carry out.

He should be apathetic about that man's death. Because that was just a fake; as early as more than a decade ago, on the night that their fates were decided, in the forest near the border of the Water Nation, along with Rin's death, the Hatake Kakashi who lived in the world had become a fake, trash, an empty shell. The real Kakashi only existed in Obito's Infinite Tsukuyomi.

But he failed to be glad, nor apathetic. It didn't mean he felt sorrowful or grievous, though.

He could feel _nothing._

The world was hell. He didn't care any more about it.

What he had seen many years ago was like a soldering iron, seared this idea onto his heart; nowadays, after learning Kakashi's death, it was as if someone had dug out the iron again, and pressed it down to his old scar.

Even deeper and clearer than last time.

Obito reached out, touching his own empty eye socket.

His left eye had died.

His only connection with his past had died.

_I want to build a world where heroes don't have to make pitiful excuses in front of graves._

But the hero had already died.

There would be no longer a figure, standing in front of the Memorial Stone, everyday for decades.

"Haha... hahaha...hahahahaha..." Pressing hard at his eye socket, Obito heard hoarse, humorless laughter coming out from the back of his throat.

"Isn't it ironic, Kakashi?" He said to the old friend in his imagination, "I, who had been identified as the first deceased member of Team Minato, turned out to be the only survivor of us."

_Since the tragedy of Team Minato started from the Kannabi Bridge, from me, then..._

_Let everything, everything about the decayed shinobi world, come to the end in my hand._


	2. The Man Who is No One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back!  
> Thank my dear H.A. for betareading. Love you!

It was an underground cave known by few people in a small country, dim and damp, filled with complete darkness.

But for hibernating vipers, it was a perfect and suitable shelter.

The ceremonial circle on the ground was glowing in an ominous purple. In the center, a coffin slowly rose with a deep rumble. Then the light dissipated, and the cover of the coffin squeaked open. It fell down with a loud bang, revealing the figure standing inside the coffin.

In smug satisfaction, Yakushi Kabuto finished his hand sign and stood up.

"Thanks to my foresight, I managed to get your DNA sample from the hospital when I was still in Konoha, " he said in a disgusting brisk tone. "After all, you are the No.1 technician in Konoha, and had spent so many years in ANBU, keeping numerous shadowy secrets...Not to mention you also have an eye with Kekkei Genkai. When you had died, your corpse was firmly sealed and closely guarded."

"Well, actually it was surprising. Among those numbered elites in Konoha, it was you who died after Asuma. So the power of Rinnegan should really not be underestimated. But for me, it was a big favor. "

With a nasty smile, he walked towards and stopped in front of the coffin, facing with the man in it.

"Long time no see...What an unexpected reunion after the Chunin Exam four years ago, _Kakashi-san_."  
————————————————————

"Ah, there you are!"

"Kiba?" Heading to the construction sites with Sakura and Yamato, Naruto stopped and turned around, looking at the boy on the white dog. "What's up?"

"Listen... Just calm down and listen," Kiba's voice was low with anxiety, "Tsunade-sama was dismissed as Hokage, and the sixth Hokage is a guy named Danzo! I don't really know him, but he should be from ANBU!"

"Danzo!" Naruto and Sakura exclaimed at the same time.

"And that's not the only thing, " said Kiba, turning to Naruto. "The new Hokage has given permission to dispose Sasuke as a missing-nin!"

The news hit Naruto like a hammer. For a while, his mind was totally blank, his hands and feet froze, and he was unable to give any response.

_Dispose...Sasuke?_

"I'm going to see Danzo!" Sakura's furious voice brought him back to reality. "Master Tsunade sacrificed for the village... She has yet not... She's still possible to wake up! They can't...They can't treat her like that!"

Her voice broke on the last word. Sakura turned her head away, wiping her face beyond others' sight.

"And there's Sasuke-kun's issue," she continued with a sniff, anger slightly toned down. "I can't stand by and let this happen."

"I'm going, too!" Naruto agreed without thinking. Then he began to run towards the Hokage Tower, followed by Sakura.

"Wait, both of you!" Yamato shouted behind them. Naruto and Sakura stopped and turned around. The brown-haired man trotted towards the two teenagers, and pressed his hands onto their shoulders. "You have to stay cool-headed, or it'll just make things worse. Just be patient, think carefully before taking actions!"

"How can I calm down now?!" Naruto shook off his hand, "I will never let him put a finger on Sasuke!"

"You don't know Danzo!" Yamato also rose his voice, eyes wide open with anger. "I used to be in Root, and I know his style. Who do you think his message was intended for? It's you, Naruto! The jonins may not have voted yet, but he is still the Hokage appointed by Daimyo for the time being. When you go to intercede for Sasuke, he'll have the excuse to imprison you. He is still covetous of Kyuubi inside you, and never gave up!"

"How can you know that without trying?" Naruto retorted fiercely, breath rasping in his heaving chest. "He's going to... He's going to execute Sasuke! Team Seven... Team Seven has already lost one member," Sakura's expression became sad as he spoke, "I can't witness my friends get killed anymore! Kakashi-sensei... If Kakashi-sensei was here, he would never let this happ-"

"ENOUGH!" Yamato snapped and interrupted Naruto. When Kakashi was mentioned, there was agony in his eyes, but it was rage that overwhelmed him. "Stop deceiving yourself! You know Kakashi-senpai would come up with the same idea as I did, don't you? For his character, do you really think he would let you go debate with Danzo? Don't give in to your personal feelings, Naruto!"

He clapped and crossed his fingers together, ready for the hand seal of Mokutun. "Senpai has passed away, and I need to protect you and Team Seven for him. If you want to go confront Danzo, then defeat me first!"

Yamato's words was like a bucket of cold water poured on Naruto, extinguishing the fiery anger in his heart. What was left was just a pinch of dying, struggling ember.

"Sorry," Naruto whispered. Light disappeared from his blue eyes, the blonde lowered his head. "You're right, Captain Yamato. I'm always easy to lost my head when it's related to Sasuke."

Seeing his frustration, Yamato's heart was softened. Putting his hands down, he patted Naruto on the shoulder. "Let's go back. We must consider about this carefully before making decisions. The order of execution will not be issued in a short time, and... it is really not that easy for Sasuke to be caught and killed, right? "

"Yeah. " Naruto nodded slightly. "Sorry... But I would like to be alone for a while. "

Leaving these words, his figure vanished from the other three shinobi's eyes.  
————————————————————

Naruto came to the Training Field 3.

He dropped onto the ground in front of the Memorial Stone. Staring at the stone for a while, he reached out, touching the new inscriptions on it.

_Hatake Kakashi._

"I'm sorry, sensei, "he murmured, "I was almost hot-headed again."

"These days I attached myself to Super Bushy-brow sensei, and he told me a lot about you. Your father, your sensei- my dad, and your two teammates. I know if you were still here, you definitely wouldn't want us to hear about these things, but... I just want to know you more. I hate myself so much for having thought there would still be time and chance later on, yet who would have foreseen..."

"I also learned the truth of why you were always late from Captain Yamato. I wonder what you were thinking about when you stood in front of the Memorial Stone every day. Have you felt remorse for not getting along well with your teammates? Have you felt regret for failing to save them? Have you hated yourself for... not realizing how precious those days and the people you once had were... until you had lost them?"

"And now... It seems that I can somehow understand what you have felt."

Lowering his head, Naruto smiled self-mockingly. "If you were here., you would definitely say that it doesn't sound like me. But...but..."

He clenched his fists, curled up and buried his face in arms. "After losing my master.... then you... I'm afraid that... I can't be the Uzumaki Naruto I used to be..."

No matter how tight the blonde shut his eyes, the late tears that had been absent at the funeral still rushed out from the corners of his eyes, dropped and bedewed his clothes.

"Sensei... What should I do...They dismissed Tsunade Baa-chan, they wanted to kill Sasuke... I can't let them put their hands on Sasuke, but now I...I can't do anything..."

"If you were watching us in heaven, Kakashi sensei... Please, please bless Sasuke... and our Team Seven."

A gentle breeze rippled his golden hair. For an instant, Naruto dimly felt as if the man had placed a gentle hand on the top of his head again, rubbing his hair intimately as he used to. Then his eye crinkled into a smile. "Don't worry. _I will never let my comrades die in front of me._ "

But what was ringing in his ears was only the whispers of the leaves.  
————————————————————

"I caught up with you, finally."

Air twisted with the voice. In the next moment, the man with orange mask appeared on the branch ahead.

Sasuke halted abruptly, his eyes were cold and vigilant. "Get out of my way. Out cooperation with Akatsuki is already over."

"I've told you those who betrayed Akatsuki would only end in death,"Obito spread his hands. "And you broke your promise to me. You have failed your mission... The eight-tailed beast you had brought back was a fake. What a disappointment."

Seeing the astonished expressions of Team Taka, Obito sighed and scratched his head.

"Well... anyway. Let's just put the tail beasts aside for now. I come here to stop you from going to Konoha."

"Why?" Sasuke looked at him with suspicion, "Konoha is suffering a great loss, and it's the best time to exact my revenge." He lifted his right hand, bluish lightning sparkled in the palm. "If you want to stop me... I won't be so easy on you."

Obito didn't reply instantly. He just stared at the lightning the raven-haired boy was holding.

_Chidori._

Once upon a time there was a man, who beat his path with this jutsu on the battlefield, earned a brilliant reputation, and was always far ahead of Obito no matter how hard Obito had tried to catch up, until now...

Obito was surprised at his sudden sentimentality. 

How strange. In the past Chidori could only remind him of the moment, when Rin's heart was pierced by a clenched fist, followed by endless rage and sorrow rising in his own chest. But now when he saw the lightning again, what came to his mind first was the figure of the silver-haired boy from a distant past.

So was it true, that a man dies the same way as a lamp goes out? Everything fades after death, even hatred?

The sound of crying birds rang in his ear. Obito recovered immediately and activated Kamui in time, letting Sasuke and the young shinobi's attack pass through his body.

_Well, well._

_You may have surpassed your sensei in techniques, but you didn't learn his calmness and discretion at all._

"Hold on," he turned around, looking at Sasuke crouching on the branch ahead, ready to start another attack at any time. "I just want to show you the right direction."

"Direction?" Sasuke frowned.

"Yes, direction. Since Tsunade fell into a coma and may never wake up again, a guy named Danzo became Hokage, and he is one of the elders who drove your brother to kill his own clan. After Pein invaded Konoha, and you attacked the eight-tailed beast, the five nations became unprecedentedly alert, and decided to make an alliance. Thus," Obito pricked up one finger, "the five Kages are going to hold a meeting."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes.

"Your killing intent sets my mind at ease," Obito raised his hand. Zetsu appeared from his behind, and divided into two individuals.

"He," he pointed at the Zetsu which was in whole white, "will lead you the way."  
————————————————————

How much could one be toyed with by fate?

He had put comrades first, but Sakumo died of accusation and defamation from his comrades. He had held rules above all else, but Obito taught him a lesson with his life. He had believed he could keep his promise to his deceased friend, but Rin was killed by his own hands. He had hoped sensei could always stay by his side, but Minato sacrificed himself to protect the village from Kyuubi's claws.

He had thought he would die from those cruel, bloody missions of ANBU, but he survived again and again. When he finally found new bonds, soon he had to face and accept his own death.

And now, he thought he could leave all those behind at last, went to the other world to join his family and friends, but instead he was summoned back to the land of the livings as a ghost, a dummy that was manipulated by others.

For the first time in his life, Hatake Kakashi cursed the fleetness of fate from heart.

" _Only Sharingan can confront Sharingan_ , " Kabuto paced leisurely in front of Kakashi. "Now all the Sharingan eyes in the world are either in Akatsuki or in Konoha. Thanks to your death, I can indirectly obtain this one eye by Edo Tensei. Although it's less convenient than directly in my hand, it's still better than nothing. What's more..."

His eyes twinkled with cunning. "Sometimes, your existence may be even more effective than the Sharingan."

Kakashi opened his mouth. His limbs felt dead stiff, it must be that Kabuto somehow restricted his movement. He tried to speak, but only found himself mute.

"At the moment, I don't want to give myself away," Kabuto saw his futile attempt and smiled complacently. "Therefore, I'll be in big trouble if I were to leave you say whatever you want to say outside. For now, please just shut up."

Kakashi stared at him grimly. _What do you plan to use me for?_ He questioned Kabuto by eyes.

Though he has got a vague answer in his heart.

"It will be a huge blow to Konoha- _especially to the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki_ \- if I let you show your identity in public, but it's also of high risk. So I prepared a suit of clothes for you."

Kabuto took out and opened a scroll, pressed one hand on it. A puff of smoke rose with a pop, then there appeared a whole suit of Konoha ANBU uniform and armor. There was also a mask, bone-white, with no decorative pattern nor holes for mouth and nose, only two hollows at the place of eyes.

"The Edo Tensei-ed body doesn't breathe. Handy, isn't it?" Kabuto picked up the mask, showed it to Kakashi. "And the mask can also cover the crack on your face. Sometimes there's no need to give a certain answer... First allow them to keep the faintest hope against indisputable evidence, then destroy that hope when the time is right. It must be very interesting."

"Just let them guess freely, who is the silver-haired ANBU. Anyway, once you draw your blade against Konoha, you're no longer the Hatake Kakashi they knew before."

Kabuto's words stabbed Kakashi like a sharp knife. It really hurt, and made him feel weak and faint.

But Edo Tensei-ed body shouldn't have any feeling.

Then what was the pain that seemed to tear his soul apart?

_If I'm no longer Hatake Kakashi... Who am I now?_

_I'm the man who is no one._

_I'm just a puppet._

The jonin fought to brace himself, but despair still emerged in his eyes. Seeing this, Kabuto grinned wider.

_That's right, he thought._

_Why should I be the only one who loses his identity? Why should I be the only one who doesn't know who he is?_

_Just all come down and join me in this lost hell._

"Now," Kabuto put the mask away. "Let's talk business. " He made a hand seal. "The following three orders are the highest principles that you must obey in future actions. To make full use of your brain and experience, I'll allow you to keep your mind and be independent. Just don't dissappoint me."

"First, try your best to keep your identity secret. Second, if there is a risk of being sealed, leave the battlefield immediately. Third, in any case, keep your distance from _Uchiha Madara_... the masked man in Akatsuki."

"I'm going to release your first mission after your rebirth. In order to negotiate with someone, I need an important bargaining chip-"

The next words that came out from Kabuto's lips were what Kakashi feared the most.

_"-bring me Kyuubi back alive."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next Chapter: Naruto vs. Edo Tensei-ed Kakashi.  
> Thanks for reading! Reviews are appreciated.


	3. Who the Hell Are You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: No betareading this time, because she is pretty busy these days. And my English really sucks, especially for the battle scene.   
> Anyway, enjoy!

Naruto couldn't fall asleep.

Staring at the ceiling of the temporary shelter, what echoed in his ears were all the words from those shinobi of Kumogakure in the daytime.

_"The missing-nin Uchiha Sasuke took our master! We don't even know if master is dead or alive now!"_

_Sasuke...What happened to you?_

Master...

Only the single word could already make him feel like the wound in his heart was torn open again before scabbed. 

When the two shinobi of Kumogakure rushed towards him, he refused Sai and Sakura's help. Without fighting back, he let them beat him black and blue.

He just wanted to pay Sasuke's debts in this way, because he knew better than anyone about how painful it was to lose one's teacher. 

Naruto put his hand into the pocket. He took out something, raised it to his eyes.

Ring-ring-

A pair of small bells swang with crisp sounds before it stopped and hung down. It had been found in Kakashi's pouch, and with Shikaku's permittion, Naruto had been allowed to keep it. He had took the bells with him at all times these days.

Gazing at the bells, he shaked them lightly.

Ring-ring-

_"If you ask why... I'm just curious about what happens next. But don't worry, it won't make any difference against you guys."_

Said nonchanlantly, Kakashi buried his nose into a small orange book.

Ring-ring-

_"Think before using a justu, or it could be used against you. And also, don't fall for such obvious trap, ba-ka!"_

Kakashi picked up the bells on the ground, threw them up then caught them again, giving him a sly smile.

Ring-ring-

_"You will be risking your lives in your duties. Look at this... the numerous names carved on the stone. These are all ninjas who are recognized as heroes of the village. "_

Kakashi stood up from Sasuke, put his kunai into the pouch, and went to the Memorial Stone. 

Ring-ring-

_"You three... passed!"_

Hands on his hips, Kakashi bent down to look at them with an eye smile.

Ring-ring-ring-

As if being possessed, Naruto rang the bells again and again, sunk himself into the vision of the past.

In that vision, there was Kakashi-sensei and Sasuke, they were still the complete Team Seven. They all still lived in Konoha happily, training and taking missions every day, nothing bad had ever happened-

_Knock knock!_

The door was suddenly knocked. There was a familiar voice outside, "Naruto, may I come in?"

"Of course!" Naruto answered without thinking. His eyes widened when he realized whose voice was that. Regardless the pain all over his whole body, he sat up with a jerk, staring at the door which was slowly opened-

Kakashi-sensei was standing at the doorway. He was in his usual jonin uniform, forehead protector askew to cover the Sharingan, unruly silver hair tilted to one side. Scratching the back of his head sheepishly, he looked up at Naruto, curled his eye into a mild smile.

"I've heard about what happened today earlier. If you can't go to sleep... how about hanging out with me for a while?"

Naruto gazed at him. After a moment, his face broke into a wide grin.

"Sure!"

It was late at night, and all around was still.

The door of the hut opened with a squeak. Hiding on the opposite roof, Kakashi lowered his body further. Keeping the hand seal of genjustu, he watched Naruto walking out of the hut _alone_ with a happy smile on his face.

Behind the hole on the mask, three tomoe were spinning fast in his Sharingan.  
——————————————————————

“So that's the case.”

Kakashi-sensei sighed, shoved his hands into pockets. They were walking along the river on Training Fielding 3, water glittering, grass rustling under their feet. "Well, I'm not surprised. Sasuke is already a missing-nin, by convention, he should be executed to death. It's only because Tsunade-sama's leniency that he hasn't been hunted...Tenzou was right. It's not the time to confront Danzo head on yet. "

"But how can I just stand there, watching Sasuke chased by ninjas from Konoha? Kakashi-sensei, I don't want to see that happen. I don't want Sasuke to be killed, or someone in the village hurt by him. "

Lowered his head, Naruto looked frustrated. "And there's issue of the Reikage. Sasuke attacked the Hachibi Jinchuuriki... Why did he do that? I want to go to see the Reikage and ask for his forgiveness for Sasuke, but Captain Yamato doesn't allow me to leave Konoha at will. "

"If that's your plan, then just do it," Kakashi-sensei looked up at the full moon in the sky. He was walking at Naruto's right side, so the blond could only see his masked face instead of his expression. "Never go back on your words, never change your goal once detemined, that's your ninja way. Right?"

Naruto looked stunned. A moment later, a confident smile touched the corners of his lips.

"Sure!"

"That's right," Kakashi-sensei looked at him, eye curved into a smile. "That's the Uzumaki Naruto I know."

He reached out to Naruto's head, as if wanted to rub his hair as usual-

_Clap!_

The pale wrist between the cuff and the glove was suddenly grabbed.

Naruto was still looking at Kakashi-sensei, but the light in his eyes went dim slowly, and his smile became sad.

"I'm sorry, Kakashi-sensei," he said, made a hand seal with his other hand. "But it's time for me... to wake up."

" _Kai!_ "

With the shout, the illusion shattered in front of Naruto's eyes.

The river, the lawn, the Memorial Stone and the three logs buried into the earth remained, they were indeed at the Training Field 3. But Kakashi had turned back to his real costume; dark grey hood and cloak, the ANBU uniform underneath, the bone white mask reflecting the moonlight.

The hand which reached out for Naruto was holding a senbon, the distinctive color of anesthetic shining at the tip.

"Urrrrrrrrgh!"

Grabbing Kakashi's wrist with force, Naruto flung him forward with fury. The cloak drifted down silently, and the silver-haired ANBU turned a somersault agilely in mid-air, then stepped lightly on the surface of the river, movement as elegant as a cat. 

"I'll never forgive you..." Naruto's voice was low with danger. He suddenly looked up, vertical pupils lay across his blood-red eyes. "Sound based genjutsu, huh? You added it to the bell sound... You profaned Kakashi-sensei's death! How dare you use him to deceive me! I'll going to kill you!!"

Growling, the blond threw himself at his enemy like a javelin, clenched fist upraised. "Take off your stupid mask! You coward, who the hell are you!"

_Splash!_

The river spattered high with his blow, water drops fell everywhere nearby, as if it just drizzled at the bank. Kakashi dodged the fist at ease; while Naruto was still benting down, he seized the opportunity to aim a heavy kick at the jinchuuriki's left temple.

Naruto raised his arm, just in time to block Kakashi's attack. Limbs bumped into each other with thuds, the two shinobi began to confront each other with taijutsu, and the movements of both sides were too fast to even be seen clearly. 

Parrying and fighting back, Naruto felt his rage and hatred was about to burst out of his chest, as if someone just poured a pot of boiled oil on his insides and almost burnt them alive.

"First show me the illusion of sensei... And now you're mimicing his skills! You worm!" He snapped. "Why are you in ANBU uniform? Why are you so familiar with Kakashi-sensei's fighting style? You traitor of Konoha!"

He extended his free hand to grasp at Kakashi's mask. Kakashi dodged with a back filp. Crossing his fingers, Naruto snarled, " _Taju Kage Bunshin no Justu!_ "

In a moment, numerous clones crowded the whole training field, as well as the surface of the river and the branches nearby. Those red eyes, burning with fury, were all staring at the figure in the air.

"Watch this," hundreds of Naruto yelled simultaneously, chakra concentrated in their hands. " _Giant Rasengan Barrage Line!_ "

Sharingan wide open, tomoe inside started swirling madly. Kakashi completed his hand signs in a wink.

_Water Release: Rain Formation!_

Massive chakra gathered above the training field, turned into real water, then dropped to the ground; so dense and powerful, just like a meteor shower. The clones who got hit immediately disappeared in puffs of smoke, even though a few of them managed to escape from the deadly rain and rushed up into the sky, Kakashi had already prepared another justu for them.

_Fire Release: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet!_

The fire dragon roared past, and wherever it went, the clones were all destroyed without exception.

When the fire dragon as well as the dust storm it created dissipated, the Training Field 3 was no longer what it had used to be. The real Naruto was crouching on the rough broken ground, still staring at his enemy with hatred in his eyes. 

It was impossible to not awake anyone with such large sounds. Shinobi shunshin-ed to the edge of the battlefield one after another, among which were several familiar faces, Sakura, Yamato, Ino, Genma...

Two group of ANBU appeared directly in the mid-air, their ninjato unsheathed at the same time, thrusting at the falling figure.

By then, however, Kakashi had finished the last hand sign for his third justu.

_Wind Release: Vacuum Serial Waves!_

With a mighty bang, the eight ANBU ricocheted towards different directions with bleeding wounds on their bodies, as if they were cut by invisible blades.

Kakashi floated onto the ground.

"Leave us alone!" Naruto shouted. "It's my own fight!"

He saw the masked man over there turned around to face him.

Naruto sneered.

"Checkmate, you idiot," he said.

" _Wind Release: Rasenshuriken!_ " 

The masked man quickly glanced back. There were three Naruto over there, only a few steps away from him. One of them was holding the giant Rasenshuriken, and they were all rushing to him. "I'll rip off your mask this time!"

"Naruto!!" Sakura shouted with anxiety. "You'll hurt yourself!"

Her voice was drowned by the roaring Rasenshuriken. By then Naruto had reached his enemy; just a little bit closer, then he could beat up the bastard who desecrated Kakashi-sensei, smash his mask and reveal the damned face underneath--

Tails of the tomoe stretched, and the pattern inside the pupil changed.

_Kamui._

The space distorted rapidly, in the next moment, Rasenshuriken vanished from Naruto's hand.

The atmosphere turned from extremely noisy to extremely quiet in no time.

"...He must be kidding," said Ino with a pale face. "Naruto... he failed again...?"

_Puff! Puff! Puff!_

Three clones were dismissed. Naruto was standing still, only half a step from the masked man. Now his eyes were wide open, almost to the limit, pupils constricted to tiny dots. It was as if he had just seen the scariest scene in his life.

"You..." he said faintly.

The masked man moved back a few steps, then turned around, raced away from Konoha.

"Wait!" Naruto yelled and went after him.

"You guys, warn the village. We're going to full alert status." Yamato shouted to others. "Sakura, let's go!" 

Sakura replied with a brief nod. Before anyone else could say something, the two shinobi left the training field to chase Naruto and the assassin.

Trees seemed to recede as they leapt from one branch to another. Sakura felt her hands in gloves cold and wet with sweat. 

"...Captain Yamato," she said in quaver. "That man... his movement..."

"Enough," the brown-haired man interrupted her with a grave voice that Sakura had never heard. "Now let's put Naruto's safety first."  
————————————————————

_That's impossible._

His right arm ached awfully as if it was crushed. Naruto seemed oblivious to the pain; instead, he just kept his eyes fixed on the figure a few meters ahead.

_Impossible._

But that justu... the justu that could dismiss his Rasenshuriken in a flash. No hand seals, no need to gather chakra in advance, it was like the user could release his justu instantly whenever he wanted.

It was like he could release it _in a single glimpse_.

Clenching his wounded hand, Naruto gritted his teeth.

The man was repressing his chakra signature, and there was only one way to confirm Naruto's suspicion. He had not fully recovered from the fight against Pein, and got injured again because of using the forbidden justu, but...

Naruto stopped abruptly. He made a hand seal and closed his eyes.

_Be quick... be quick... only this time.,,_

_Sage Mode!_

Orange pigmentation appeared around Naruto's eyes. He began to run again, much faster than before. He soon caught up with his target and threw a punch at him. 

The masked man hit a backhand without turning around, as if he had eyes on the back of his head; but then he was catapulted by the natural energy that covered Naruto's fist. He spun rapidly in the air before landed in front of Naruto.

By then Naruto had dismissed the Sage Mode.

Not because the time was up, but because he had lost his fight.

Thanks to his intensified senses enhanced by Sage Mode, their fight was short, but it had been long enough for Naruto to verify his speculation.

Although the chakra signature had subtly changed, the man who had attacked him was undeniably...

He opened his mouth, but failed to say anything.

"Naruto! Watch out!"

He heard Sakura screaming from behind, her voice sounded so far away, as if it was from somewhere in a long distance.

He saw the masked man raised his right hand, familiar dense blue-white lightning roaring in the palm.

He just stood there, watching the man rushed towards him and reached in a split-second, _Raikiri_ aiming at the middle of his chest--

His blood splattered.

Blood spurted from Naruto's mouth as well. He face turned pale with a painful expression, hunching his back.

The hand thrust deeply into his abdomen, almost pierced through his body. 

Naruto lifted his hand and grasped the man's wrist, tightening his fingers; then he reached out the other hand, trembling to the mask. 

"Let me... see your face..." there was begging in his eyes, "Who... the hell... are you..."

The bone-white mask showed nothing as reply.

The unidentified shinobi raised his left hand. Lightning was gathered again, and this time, the target was his own right arm.

He chopped it in half. 

The severed hand in Naruto's belly turned into fly ash, flitered silently through his fingers. The blond stared with wide eyes.

Under his gaze, the wound-- it was not bleeding-- began to recover rapidly by itself. In a few seconds, a brand new hand reformed in its old place, as if nothing had happened at all.

Clenching his fist, the masked man moved back a step.

"Ka..." Naruto uttered weakly from his throat.

The masked man froze.

"Now!" Yamato shouted behind him. "Cover me, Sakura! I'll catch him!"

Strong branches grew up from the around ground, launching attacks against the masked man. Above them, the pink-haired kunoichi uplifted her fist, ready to give her enemy a head-on blow. "Shannarooooo!!"

Lightning once again appeared in the masked man's hand, and he easily cut off all the branches with a single wave. However, when the hand touched Sakura's fist, the sparks suddenly disappeared.

_Bang!_

The ground cracked with a deafening sound. Naruto was standing in situ, teetering. Sakura put her arms around him, carrying her teammate to safety with a mighty leap.

She landed right beside Yamato, and they both looked to where she were. When the dust storm cleared, the masked man was nowhere to be found.

"Let's heal Naruto first," said Yamato after a brief silence. He turned his eyes to the blond, who was lying in Sakura's arms, unconscious.

Under the moonlight, Sakura saw his jaw tightened and his face as well as lips lost its color.

She knew she must be the same, if not worse.  
————————————————————

Naruto woke up half an hour later.

Yamato had used his Mokuton to build a simple house on the small clearing in the forest. Naruto was now lying in bed in one of the bedrooms. He lost his usual energy and vigor, and kept staring at the ceiling without saying a word, his eyes glassy.

With inflamed eyes, Sakura soundlessly picked up her first-aid supplies. She went out of the room and shut the door. Instead of leaving immediately, she stopped after a few steps in the corridor.

It was quiet at first, then Sakura soon heard Naruto's repressed crying from inside the bedroom.

"Sensei...Ka...kashi...sensei...."

Bandages and ointments tumbled from her hands. Leaning against the wall, Sakura dropped down weakly onto the floor.

She clamped her hand over her mouth, trying not to make any sound. Tear streamed sliently down her cheeks.  
————————————————————

One hour later.

The door was knocked twice. Naruto didn't move.

The man outside gave a quiet cough. "Naruto, I'm coming in."

Naruto didn't reply.

Yamato opened the door and entered. He looked terrible, as if he had been fighting for seven days and felt exhausted, both physically and mentally. 

"Some ANBU have been here just before. I told them you were injured, and had better not move for now," he said with a low voice. "Fortunately I still have some prestige among my former colleagues, and finally, they were persuaded to leave. They also told me that those ANBU who got injured in the training field have been sent to the hosiptal. None of their wounds were lethal... vital parts were all deliberately avoided. " 

"......"

"Naruto, you..."

"Captain Yamato."

He was interrupted by the blond. Yamato looked up, a little bit surprised.

Naruto sat up from the bed. He was seriously injured, abdomen and right hand wrapped with heavy bandages; his movement was still slow. However, there were no longer tears on his face, nor any traces that implied he had cried. 

His blue eyes were extremely bright-- there was fire of rage burning inside.

Rage, but calm as well at the same time.

Being able to control feelings, to prevent oneself from driven by extreme emotions, then one could be called a qualified, mature shinobi..

 _Naruto, you have grown up again_ , Yamato thought.

But the price was too high.

"I don't want to go back to Konoha soon," Naruto continued. His voice was quiet, too quiet that it was not even like his own. "I'm going to see the Reikage, and convince him to forgive Sasuke." 

He looked at Yamato with the bright blue eyes.

"Please help me."

Yamato's heart melted.

 _Well_ , he thought. It wouldn't be necessarily safe if they returned to the village. Naruto was wounded, and it would give Danzo a prefect excuse. That conspirator might well put Naruto under house arrest in the name of protection. Though going for Reikage was also a crazy plan, anyway...

"All right," he finally sighed, scratching his head. "Then we can't stay long around Konoha. By sunrise tomorrow we'll be on our way, OK?"

"OK."

"Take your time to rest," Yamato nodded. "I'm leaving."

"And..." Naruto spoke again when he was about to get out. "Whoever did it, I'll NEVER let him off. "

"I'll end this all."  
——————————————————————

Kakashi finally stopped after running for several miles without a break.

The Edo Tensei-ed body wouldn't feel tired.

Only body, however.

He raised his shaking hand to his eyes. The new-born one was clean, with no stains on it; but in Kakashi's eyes, it was covered with blood, warm and sticky, saturated his gloves, stained his every single finger, etched into his fingerprints.

Naruto's blood.

The blood of his student, the son of his sensei.

The old nightmare abruptly revived, automatically replayed itself in his dead mind. His fist penetrated the brown-haired girl's chest. Her heart stopped beating in his palm, turned into a mess of flesh and blood. 

Two pairs of eyes, brown and blue, wide open, filled with the same shock and agony, staring directly into his eyes.

Their looks could kill him a zillion times.

Kakashi's knees buckled. He crumpled down onto the ground, curling up into a ball, trembling violently.

 _The world... was hell_.

It had been hell since he was twelve at Kannabi Bridge, whenObito was crushed under the bould.

When he met Team Seven, he thought there was finally light shining into his dismal life , but that was just an illsion.

Such a man like him would always be clouded with misery when he was alive, and could not rest in peace even after death.

"Well, well... It seemed I've underestimated you, Hatake Kakashi," Kabuto's voice suddenly sounded in his mind. "I didn't expect you to force yourself to change the aiming point of Raikiri, or took advantage of the loophole in my order. You not only let the Kyuubi Jinchuuriki and his fellow escape, but also exposed your identity to them so easily."

"Mahh, that's fine. The jinchuuriki was your loyal student, and he won't have the heart to see his deceased sensei's fame to be tainted, will he?"

"For the moment, you don't have to approach him. Just monitor nearby, keep a close watch on their movements and report to me whenever necessary. When it's the time... he will come to you himself."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: My lovely lovely H.A. drew a picture of this chapter for me. Here is the URL: https://wx4.sinaimg.cn/mw690/0068qqNVly1flup0uxm5dj30g60mx47g.jpg  
> Next chapter: Naruto met another masked man on his trip.  
> Thanks for reading! Reviews are appreciated.


	4. The Man Who Would Change the World

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I skipped most of the canon plots that remain unchanged, since everybody knows what happened. I promise it won't destroy the integrity of the story.  
> Enjoy!

On the next day by dawn, the three shinobi in the forest had packed their bags and were ready to set off.

"Are you okay already, Naruto?" Yamato asked when the said blond was stretching his arms. It seemed he had regained his vigor. "Don't force yourself."

"No problem, Captain Yamato," Naruto answered, patting his chest confidently. "With Sakura-chan's medic justu and Kyuubi's chakra healing me overnight, I've been mostly recovered!"

"How reckless of you to use the Rasenshuriken!" Sakura sulked. "It is incomplete so it is a forbidden justu, remember? Fortunately you just released it once and didn't actually hit anything, or your arm would be damaged again!"

"Well..."Naruto scratched the back of his head and smiled sheepishly. "I was too furious then to remember that."

Sakura sighed, however, the corners of her lips curled up. But then, something seemed occured to her and her face went sad and dismal.

"Naruto...I'm not going with you, " she said, lowering her gaze down at the ground. "Shizune-senpai has passed away, and Master Tsunade was dismissed as Hokage...I must stay by her side."

"Furthermore, I don't know what attitude I should take to face Sasuke-kun now."

Naruto stared at her for a while before nodding determinedly. "Alright! Go back then, Sakura-chan. Rest assured, I won't forget to change the bandage. And Captain Yamato will also remind me of it."

"But if so," Said former ANBU butt in with, "Is it okay that the three of us left last night while only you go back alone?"

"I suppose it's okay," Sakura looked up and managed to give a smile, though it looked a little bit reluctant. "Master Tsunade is the Sannin and former Hokage after all, and has high reputation in the village. And Danzo is going to attend the Five Kage Summit; I don't think he has the interest in screwing me over for the moment. Speak of it, you need to be careful to not run into him when searching for Reikage."

“Don't worry!” Naruto waved his fist. "First thing first. I'll talk to Reikage and get Sasuke's issue settled before reckoning on with Danzo. "

“Well, well...” Yamato slouched his shoulders.

"And, Naruto..." Sakura added nervously, kicking small peddles with her tiptoes. "About last night. The man was indeed..."

Naruto became serious at once.

"Yeah," he said in a low voice. "Your guess is right. It was not someone else... That was Kakashi-sensei, and he was Edo Tensei-ed."

With these words out, air around seemed to be frozen for a moment. Yamato's expression became gloomy instantly.

"Maybe..." Sakura crossed her fingers, squeezing tightly. She was like a drowning person, clutching desperately at the straw of fluke. "After all, none of us have seen his face, and... as we all know, Kakashi-sensei's coffin was _empty_."

That was the biggest reason that she suspected it was not Kakashi. The jonin's body had not been buried as others', instead, it was kept inside the special sanctum of ANBU, deep underground the headquarter. It was protected by the most sophisticated seal, and guarded by three teams of ANBU elites in turns 24/7.

A corpse with Sharingan deserved to be treated like that. Konoha should never loosen its protection towards a Sharingan -in this case, a Mangekyo Sharingan with strong Dojustu -at least before the Akatsuki was completely destroyed, and the world went back to relative peace.

"The Rasenshuriken then, " Naruto whispered. "That was not my fault. It was Kakashi-sensei who transported it into another dimension. And the Raikiri... you have both seen it."

He involuntarily laid his hand on his belly, slightly grasping his clothes.

For a while no one spoke. Sakura drew a wavering breath, buried her face into her hands.

"However, we'd better all keep quiet about this," Naruto broke the slience. "Just let others think that I failed to release the Rasenshuriken again. We can't let them know that it was Kakashi-sensei, and make sensei on everyone's tongue."

Sadness emerged in his eyes as his lips became a thin line. "He held back himself yesterday... That Raikiri could have been went through my chest. But I... I said a lot of harsh words to him during our fight. Kakashi-sensei's personality and consciousness has not been entirely eliminated, and he must feel anguished to be forced to fight me. I can't make him hurt more due to others' discussions. "

"Naruto, I fully understand your point, and have the same feeling with you. But still..." Yamato suddenly spoke, frowning. "I've been Kakashi-senpai's colleague in ANBU for many years, and he wasn't famous among all five nations for nothing. As a comrade, he was the most reliable prop, while as an enemy," an uneasy look swept across his face, "how frightening he could be was beyond your imagination."

"It was not the absolute power... What made Hatake Kakashi fearful most was his sharp mind of tactics, and rich fighting experience accumulated from surviving narrow escapes from death numerous times. It would have been better if he was only being manipulated as a puppet, but from what happened last night, it's more likely that senpai's actions were still highly self-directed. Not to mention he knows Konoha better than most people, and once he has some plan against the village, it will be much easier for him to carry it out than an enemy shinobi, and the casualty will also be much higher."

"If senpai sees he does harm to Konoha by his own hand... for him there's no difference from being killed again. Therefore, I suppose we'd better report to the council, and warn them about him."

While he was talking, Naruto was just listening sliently. But to Yamato's surprise, the blond just shook his head afterwards.

"Rest assured, Kakashi-sensei's target is me," he said. "And he doesn't want to disclose himself, at least in front of someone other than us, or he would have attacked others at Training Field 3 yesterday, instead of leaving immediately. In addition..."

"In addition what?" Yamato asked curiously, impressively thinking Naruto's brain worked really fast at the crucial moment. "And I have to say that nobody can rest assured knowing he's after you. "

"The genjustu. When Kakashi-sensei lured me to the training field by genjustu, I told him my plan. And he answered, 'If that's your plan, then just do it. Never go back on your words, never change your goal once detemined, that's your ninja way. ' Even though I've known it was a genjustu, but somehow... I still believe that it was what he trully wanted to tell me."

His blue eyes became bright, shining with determination. For the first time since Kakashi had died, Naruto grinned widely as ever. "Sensei believes me! And I should never fail him!"

"Naruto..." Yamato was moved and could not help showing it slightly. He gave a wry smile, patting at the back of his head. "Well, senpai... You have really left a big trouble to me."

"All right, let's go!" Naruto waved his hand to Sakura. "Bye, Saku-"

His voice was cut off when the said kunoichi suddenly came up and hugged him.

"Naruto..." Sakura was clutching him tightly. Naruto could not see her face, but could hear her choking voice, begging weakly. "Please, be careful. Team Seven is now... I can no longer..."

Her words were incoherent, but Naruto understood.

"Leave it to me, Sakura-chan. I'll come back safe." The blond reached out, holding his teammate in his arms, patting her shoulder softly. His expression was mild but firm. "I'll definitely bring Sasuke back, that's what I've promised to you; and here is another promise, that I'll definitely save Kakashi-sensei. Be a man of his word, that's also my ninja way."

"Everything will be okay."  
————————————

But things did not went as well as Naruto had expected.

By aid of Yamato's seed, they had tracked the two shinobi from Kumogakure when they had left Konoha, and successfully found Reikage at last. However, after an ineffectual negotiation, Naruto had only turned out to be more disappointed and worried than before.

Giving up his pride, lowering his head, benting his knees, what he had got in return were just Reikage's cold words.

_"Akatsuki will be internationally wanted criminals, then the whole world will be after Sasuke, not just me. You beg for mercy for a criminal, for the safety of your friend, but in the ninja world, we don't call that friendship! You won't get far in the ninja world if you keep acting so stupidly!"_

Lying on the tatami mats in the inn room, listening to the snow storms roaring outside, Naruto felt in a loss totally.

_Sasuke... Where are you now...? What are you thinking? Have you once ever thought about me and Sakura...?_

_Have you heard about... what happened to Kakashi-sensei? Inherited Chidori from him, have you got the same feeling of mine when I had learned the news of Ero Sennin's death, when you heard he was dead?_

_You have said that someone like me without family or siblings would never understand how it felt to once owned then lose them all. But now I've understand that feeling. The feeling of losing someone dearest to you and longing to take revenge._

_I've understand your pain. I'm now carrying the same pain as you. And you defeated your brother, got your revenge... Do you feel better, or has it just got worse?_

_Sasuke... Why haven't you come back to Konoha? Has the hatred really eaten you up?_

Clenching his fists, Naruto closed his eyes.

_I don't understand you any more, Sasuke-_

"How about getting up and have a little chat, Uzumaki Naruto?"

Someone suddenly spoke behind him. Naruto turned back at once, eyes widened when he saw the figure.

"You.. you are..."

The man in black cloak with red clouds was sitting uninhibitedly on the windowsill, one hand under his chin. Behind the only hole on the orange swirl-mask, a blood-red eye was staring down at him.

_Bang!!_

Rolling smoke rose in the loud noise. Jumping up into the air, Obito looked down at the two Konoha shinobi. "Rasengan, huh? You know full well it won't work on me." 

He started to fall while speaking. At the moment his tiptoes touched the rooftop, several thick branches reached out from under the tiles, tied him up in no time.

After a series of dense thuds, wooden barrier grew up from nowhere in front of Naruto, blocking his way to Obito. Yamato stepped to the front of the barrier, staring at Obito warily. "Don't think you can take Naruto away from here!"

_The test subject of Orochimaru on Hashirama cells, and the kohai of Kakashi in ANBU... well._

Obito tutted inwardly. 

_What a weak team. So weak that I can even try to catch Kyuubi right away here. If Kakashi were still alive, he would have undoubtedly come with you too._

_Well, fine. It's too near to the location of Five Kage Summit here... No need to cause chaos._

"Don't be so nervous," he tilted his head, allowing himself bound by the Mokutun. "I just want to talk for now."

"I'm... fully interested in you, Naruto."

The blond was grasping at the barrier with both hands, glaring at him suspiciously. Looking at Naruto, what emerged in Obito's mind was a picture of the silver-haired shinobi standing in front of the Memorial Stone, gazing at one particular name carved on it, murmuring.

_"Naruto is just like Minato-sensei... and you, too. If you were alive, I'm sure you would be fond of him."_

_"I firmly believe that he is the only one who can surpass Minato-sensei. The only one who can change the ninja world."_

Obito scoffed at it.

_Just like Minato-sensei? Ahh, sure, indeed, blue eyes and blond hair. As well as being naive in the heart of hearts, and incompetent to save their teammates._

_But how can he be like me?_

_If it means me of the past... Well, that's true._

_And that may be even more miserable than being like Minato._

_Uzumaki Naruto... Why did the aloof Kakashi, who forever kept distance with others inwardly, no matter how well he disguised himself, had such huge trust in nobody but you? Was it just because you are like Minato-sensei, and the past me?_

_If so, what a pathetic substitute for the ghosts you are._

Naruto's fingers tightened around the barrier. The gaze of the masked man made him feel very uncomfortable, like it was going to pirece him through, to look straight into his heart.

"What are you going to do with Sasuke?" Shoving away the uneasy thought, the blond shouted. "Tell me about Sasuke!"

"Sasuke,eh...? " Rousing himself, Obito raised his head. "Alright, I'll tell you."

"The story of Uchiha Sasuke, a man eaten up by the hatred and bitterness towards the ninja world."  
————————————

"Liar... That's not true!"

After listening to the story that "Uchiha Madara" was telling, Naruto sank into extreme astonishment. His mind was a complete blank with the only one thought left.

"You're lying! How can that be true! " He yelled at the man above.

"I'm not lying," Obito said calmly. "That's the truth about Itachi. He died for Sasuke, and for Konoha. If you ask me why Sasuke didn't follow Itachi's wishes and return to Konoha... I could only say that he chose it himself. I took a gamble... not knowing whether he would choose to follow Itachi's wishes or choose revenge against Konoha. And he chose the latter one... Because he is a true avenger."

Loosening his grips weakly, Naruto lowered his head, sliding down to his knees against the barrier. 

"Why... why did this happen to him...? Why did he turn to revenge...?" He mumbled in anguish. "I've promised to Sakura... to bring Sasuke back to Konoha... to go back to the Team Seven we used to be..."

Beneath the mask, Obito raised his eyebrows.

"The Team Seven you used to be?" He heard the sneering voice of himself, with an undertone of malicious glee. "You can never go back again. That Kakashi of the Sharingan has died, hasn't he?"

Naruto winced. He suddenly looked up, glaring at Obito.

"So what!" He shouted. "At least..."

_At least before Edo Tensei-ed Kakashi-sensei leaves the world again, I want to let him see Sasuke back to the village. I want him to rest in peace._

But he didn't finish his words. No need to talk about that with an enemy... It would only bring more mockery and embarrassment.

"At least what?" Obito asked.

Naruto didn't answer.

"Just give up," Obito didn't mind his silence, steering the conversation back to Sasuke. "Sasuke had no choice. That's the hate-filled destiny of the Uchiha clan, a curse has followed us for generations. Hashirama and I, Senju and Uchiha, the Will of Fire and hatred, Naruto and Sasuke... You have been chosen by fate. Naruto... someday you'll have to fight Sasuke, or rather... I'll make you fight Sasuke. This fated battle has been long in coming, and I'll use Sasuke to force people to acknowledge the Uchiha clan. "

"Sasuke isn't your toy!" Naruto roared, "Get off him!"

"If all you want is the meaningless acknowledgement, then why do you need the tailed beasts?" Yamato who had kept quiet aside suddenly spoke. "What are you really after?"

"Well, if you must know... it is to become complete."

"Complete...?"

"There's no use in telling you," Obito shrugged. "You will understand when the time comes. It's been fun chatting... See you."

Kamui was activated and air twisted. Obito threw a last glimpse at Naruto before leaving.

_You are wrong, Kakashi._

_The man who is going to change the world is not Uzumaki Naruto, but me, Uchiha Obito._

_What a pity... that you will never be able to see it._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter: Sasuke met Naruto, then they met Kakashi.  
> A different version of the reunion of Team Seven without Sakura. I don't have any problem with her, just not satisfied with her role played here in canon, such as lying to Naruto that she liked him, or tried to assassinate Sasuke. So I kept her in Konoha, since Shizune has died and there need to be someone to take care of Tsunade.  
> Update in two weeks, hopefully.  
> Thanks for reading! Reviews are appreciated.


	5. The reunion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Early update! Yay!  
> For those who wish Obito could know Kakashi was Edo Tensei-ed, I have to tell you that I would like to leave the big surprise for him until the last minute. In fact, he wouldn't meet Kakashi until on the battlefield of the 4th war, when fighting Naruto, Gai and Killer Bee. Believe me, it'll be way more interesting and exciting than letting him find it out right now.  
> And in canon, Obito has put 6 White Zetsu into Sasuke to monitor him. In order to keep the secret, he didn't do that in this story. Just in case some of you get confused here.  
> Anyway, enjoy!

Under the bridge, Uchiha Sasuke was standing on the rubbles, panting, face covered in blood.

Beside his feet, Karin was lying on the ground, dying. Chest pierced through by Chidori Sharp Spear, she was almost at her last gasp.

Looking around, Sasuke's gaze slowly came to rest on Karin's face. The redhead kunoichi also looked up at him, tears shining in her eyes, lips trembling, calling his name soundlessly.

_Sa...suke..._

_"That woman... If you don't need her any more, then kill her. She knows too much about us. Go get some rest, come to see me when you are ready to implant Itachi's eyes."_

Leaving these words, "Uchiha Madara" left with Danzo's corpse through his dimension justu.

Tch. Sasuke tutted dismissively. _The man with just words and no actions... It'll be much easier for you to dispose of her instead of me._

He lifted his hand slowly, dense lightning gathered in his palm.

Killing for other than revenge. With this strike down, he would completely abandon his past self, and would never be able to go back to Uchiha Sasuke he had used to be.

 _So what?_ He heard the cold voice of himself in his mind, _I have long since been unable to go back._

_I'm an avenger. I'm going to take my revenge against Konoha for Itachi, and for my clan. Whoever in my way will only end up being killed by me!_

Undisguised killing intent burst out of his eyes. He raised his hand higher, seeming to wave it down soon, ending the life of his teammate-

_Whoosh!_

While Sasuke's hand was still hanging in the air, a familiar figure in orange suddenly cut in from his behind. After a second, both the figure and Karin had disappeared from their former positions.

Crisp sounds of Chidori died out, and the lightning dissipated. Sasuke put down his arm.

He turned around, saw Uzumaki Naruto putting Karin down gently onto a slate that had not been destroyed during the last fight here. Then the blond stood up, turned around to face him.

"Naruto," he said grimly,his face deadpan.

Naruto didn't reply immediatedly. He was just carefully looking Sasuke up and down, from hair to toes.

Several hours later after "Madara" had left, Naruto and Yamato met more unexpected guests- the Three Sand Siblings. They had relayed what had happened during the Five Kage Summit to the two Konoha shinobi: Sasuke's fight against the Reikage, "Madara"'s declaration of war, the plan to form the shinobi allies, and that the new Hokage Danzo had been missing, while Sasuke seemingly chasing him. Hearing about the last news, Naruto could hardly stay still in the inn, and had went out to search for Sasuke in Sega Mode, despite Yamato's prevention.

He did found Sasuke, but it seemed to be a little bit late.

Sasuke was still alive, which meant Danzo was doomed. Not that Naruto cared about the new Hokage's life, what he really cared was-

_It will be best if Sasuke agrees to go back with you, but what if he refuses? I'm asking you... what you'll do if Sasuke turns against Konoha? Sasuke is still pure. He can become anything. If that happens, will you be able to stop him?_

Crows wheeling in the air, the expression of Uchiha Itachi was bland, but his words were harsh.

How had he replied?

_I'll protect Konoha! And I'll do it without killing him!_

But Itachi had just shaken his head.

_You're such a child. That's nothing but a fantasy... Sometimes shinobi have to make difficult choices when facing a dilemma._

Why Itachi as an enemy had asked questions like those, Naruto figured that he could somehow understand after "Madara"'s narration.

However, even if Itachi had denied his answer, Naruto still believed he could find the key as soon as he met Sasuke.

"Sasuke," Naruto's voice was uncharacteristicly calm. "I've heard about Itachi's truth from the guy called Tobi. I don't know if it's true or not, but either way..."

" _I understand everything that you're doing._ "

Sasuke's brow twitched slightly. But other than that, the raven haired boy showed no reactions towards Naruto's words. It seemed that he had determined to prevent Naruto or any other Konoha shinobi from affecting him.

"Naruto," the last Uchiha said slowly. "I've told you, you have no parents or siblings, so you can understand nothing about me. It's none of your business, so shut up!"

A look of sadness crossed Naruto's face. He lowered his gaze.

"Yeah," he nodded. "You were right. When we were fighting in the Valley of the End, what I said to persuade you was totally nonsense, because I couldn't understand your feeling back then. But now it's not the same. I've lost Jiraiya, my master, and..."

He looked up at Sasuke with sorrow and hope in his eyes. "Have you... heard about what happened to Kakashi-sensei? Did you..."

"Ahh, yes, I did heard about that. Kakashi... he died." Sasuke interrupted Naruto. His eyes turned red in a flash, left hand on his own right wrist, lightning roaring in the palm of his right hand.

He suddenly rose his volume.

"If he were still alive... I've been dying to kill him by myself!" He now looked hyper, even slightly manic. "Do you know what just happened here? I got my first bit of revenge for Itachi. I killed one of the Konoha elders, the one named Danzo. That bastard... he had ten Sharingan on his arm."

"Naruto, how do you think Kakashi, our wonderful sensei... had got his Sharingan? Maybe by some means as nasty as Danzo!"

Naruto's heart clenched at his words.

_Falling rock hit Kakashi on his blind side... He crumpled. Obito returned to save him, throwing him away before a boulder had fallen, ending up being crushed underneath himself. The Sharingan was his present for Kakashi for his promotion to jonin._

Gai's heavy voice hovered in his ears.

_That was the most regretful thing in Kakashi's life. He was deeply traumatized, never been able to come out of the shadow of the accident, and was tormented by guilt all the time._

"No!" Clenching his fists, Naruto shouted. "It's not like what you think! Kakashi-sensei was-"

But then Sasuke moved. Lightning still in his hand, he rushed straightly towards Naruto. 

"Enough talk, Naruto!" He growled. "I'll show you no mercy!"

Words were cut off, Naruto instantly became alert. Almost out of instinct, he released the Kage Bunshin no Justu and created a Rasengan in a breath, came up to confront Sasuke. Chidori and Rasengan were shining dazzlingly, about to crush into each other as what had happened many times before-

Just at this moment, a figure suddenly jumped down from above the two boys, cutting into the space right between them. 

Naruto and Sasuke's pupils shrank at the same time. 

Movements were slowed down in the sight of Sharingan. Helplessly, Sasuke watched the man in front of him caught his arm, lifted it a little bit up, aimed Chidori at his own face.

_Crash! Crash!_

Everything became still all of a sudden.

Naruto's Rasengan thrust into the man -Kakashi -from his back, pierced through his chest; and Sasuke's Chidori-

Hit precisely at his head.  
————————————

After learning about Itachi's truth, Sasuke had thought there wouldn't be anything else that could made him speechless with shock.

And he didn't expect an exception so soon. 

Well, that was excusable. Imagine that you were in a fit of pique, speculating on someone who had used to be good to you with the greatest malice, while the said man appeared out of blue, and successfully used your justu that he had taught you to blow up half of his head. Even someone who had a strong heart like Sasuke could not recover quickly from all of these in a short time.

Looking at Naruto's shaking hand hanging in front of his eyes, Sasuke somehow felt better. 

Shards of the mask scattered on the ground. It was dead slient under the bridge, and all three shinobi froze at their own place.

"Yo," the jonin whose upper half head was blown said happily with a carefree tone. "Long time no see. Mahh, I know it's weird to say... but can you guys please take your hands out of my body?"

…… _So shut up!_ Sasuke growled inwardly.

The two teens jerked their hands away as if they were bitten by a viper. Eyes wide, Sasuke stared as the man's dilapidated body slowly regenerated by itself, restored to what he had been familiar with. Navy-blue mask covered half of his face, unruly spiky silver hair...

He saw the cracks on his sensei's face, but didn't see the two eyes of black and red.

Surprisingly, Kakashi was eye smiling.

"Well... I sort of begin to miss those old days on the rooftop of the hospital, " he said, rubbing the back of his neck, head tilting. "Both of you have grown up so much. If it were not that I was _dead_ , I wouldn't risk rushing into your fight and-"

He abruptly staggered forward before finishing his words; he was hugged tightly by Naruto from behind.

Kakashi opened his eyes. This time, Sasuke finally saw his darkened scleras.

"Sensei... Kakashi-sensei!" For a while Naruto seemed to be too excited to say anything else. He buried his face in the silver-haired man's back, repeating his name again and again.

Kakashi's face softened. He patted Naruto's hand around his waist fondly. "Sorry, Naruto. I apologize for having injured you before."

"And I also need to apologize to you, Sasuke," he then turned to the startled Uchiha, winked at him slyly. "After all, not everyone feels okay after smashing his sensei's head."

Sasuke didn't regain his composure until hearing his own name. Subconsciously, he took one step back, the look on his face went alert and hostile again. "Don't pretend to be so familiar with me, Kakashi. I don't remember we had such a good rapport! You're dead now, so what do you come here for?!"

"Oh! That's what I want to know, too. "Naruto suddenly raised his head. He moved round Kakashi and stopped in front of the jonin, standing side by side with Sasuke; the raven haired boy shifted his weight awkwardly. "Why are you here, Kakashi-sensei?"

"Mahh, in fact I followed you here," Kakashi smiled. "From Konoha to the Nation of Iron, I've been after you and Tenzou all along. Fortunately you were putting too much attention on Sasuke to sense me, or it wouldn't be that easy when you were in Sage Mode."

"So why didn't you say anything when we were in Konoha?" Naruto asked sadly, lowered his head. "If I were able to recognize you then, we wouldn't..."

Kakashi's smile vanished. He sighed. "Sorry, Naruto," he apologized again. "But I couldn't help it. I couldn't speak- Kabuto forbade me from saying any words."

"Kabuto?" Naruto immediately looked up, rage burning in his eyes. "So he was the one who reincarnated you?"

"Exactly," Kakashi nodded. "Just now I let Sasuke attack my head, and that was for destroying the tailsman he has buried in my head. Although I still can't get rid of his control completely, at least I can talk with you now. However," Kakashi said after a pause, face became serious. "I'm afraid that Kabuto will be aware of it soon."

"I can't stay here long... Therefore, even if I have a lot of words for both of you," he directed a meaningful look at Sasuke. "I can only pick the most important stuff now. Be cautious of Kabuto; reincarnating me was just his means of catching you two."

"Catching us?" Naruto was confused.

"To be precise, you, Sasuke," Kakashi turned to the Uchiha. "The following is just my speculation... Kabuto has ordered me to attack and get Naruto, but his true aim should be you. Orochimaru and his men never get interested in Jinchuriki, who wants the tailed beasts is Akatsuki, thus, Madara. Kabuto said he was going to use Naruto as a bargain chip, I suppose it means giving Madara Naruto and getting you in return. "

"So far, Kabuto's command for me was monitoring Naruto, " he told his students. "But since the real target has appeared, maybe he won't put his attention on Naruto any more. "

"Catching me?" Sasuke snorted. "Kakashi, I'm no longer who I used to be four years ago. Don't think you'll always be the winner if we put up a serious fight now."

Kakashi looked at him calmly. "You've successfully killed Itachi-" Sasuke winced and narrowed his eyes- "so perhaps you really can kill me as well. The pity is... I'm _dead_ already. You know, the Edo Tensei-ed body is much more tricky than a living person. And your eyesight has severely deteriorated, hasn't it? It'll be easy for me to catch you in your current condition."

Sasuke looked surly. Before he could say anything, Naruto suddenly took a step forward, cut in between the other two shinobi with his arms spread, a stance of protection.

Sasuke's eyes widened. Since their reunion, his cold attitude towards Naruto finally began to crack obviously. 

"If so," the blond turned his back to him, but Sasuke could easily tell Naruto's determination from his tone. "I can do nothing more than protect Sasuke from you, sensei."

Kakashi curled his eyes and gave them a smile. "That's it. Even though Team Seven still have a bunch of internal problems, first- "

He suddenly stopped speaking, bent down with a groan and lifted his hands to his head.

"Sensei?! "Naruto cried out, immediately came up to him in panic, suppporting Kakashi with his arms.

"It's Kabuto... He's calling me back." Kakashi dipped his hands into his hair, frowning, as if he was struggling against some unknown force. "I... must go now. Don't try to... stop me, both of you have... got injured, and won't be able to... do that."

His body was trembling violently. Then he shook off Naruto's hand, staggered and stepped back. He finally stopped shaking, turned around and walked away, tottering.

Seeing he was about to leave, Sasuke unconsciously took a step forward and opened his mouth; realizing what he was doing, the raven haired teenager instantly retreated to his former position, lips thin.

Naruto didn't notice Sasuke's little movements. Fists clenching, he gritted his teeth, watching Kakashi slowly went away from him. The thin figure seemed so lonely.

He knew Kakashi was right. Sasuke aside, the wound on his belly had healed, but he could still feel pain when moving, and the Sage Mode had consumed a lot of energy. Starting a fight recklessly and got himself injured would only hurt Kakashi-sensei more.

Nevertheless...

_I didn't even have the chance to see you again before you sacrificed your life._

_I really have so much to tell you... I really miss you, sensei._

"Kakashi-sensei!" Holding back tears, Naruto put his hands around his mouth, shouted as loud as he could. "Just wait a little bit longer! I'll save you! I'll never let Kabuto do whatever he wants!"

Kakashi stopped. He stooded there for a while, then looked back over his shoulder. Since showing up in front of his students, for the first time, Naruto saw the huge agony in his eyes.

He lingered in the world, didn't belong to the livings, nor could he return to the grave. He was controlled by another man, forced to take actions against his own will, to turn his blade against his precious people.

He was suffering more than anyone.

"Naruto..." Kakashi whispered, voice dissipated in wind. "Then, please."

Before the words faded, the sliver-haired jonin had vanished in swirling leaves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next Chapter：The 4th war started! And what's more, Itachi!  
> One more good news: I'll try to update weekly from now on!  
> Thanks for reading! Reviews are appreciated.


	6. The Aim of Edo Tensei

When Kakashi went back to the underground cave, Kabuto had been sitting casually on a stone, waiting for him.

"I have to admit that I underestimated you again, Kakashi," he hissed, staring at the silver-haired ANBU with his cold snake eyes, which were so similar to Orochimaru's. "I didn't expect you to not only break my control on you in this way, but also leak information about me to Naruto and Sasuke. "

Kakashi looked aloof. "Shinobi should be able to see underneath the underneath. Think carefully before using a justu, or it could be used against you." He tilted his head, "It seemed that you didn't get a good grade when you were a genin, no wonder you failed to pass the chunin exam so many times. You reincarnated me, wanted to use me against my students, but instead ended up alerting them. Feel regretful now?" 

To his surprise, Kabuto wasn't enraged at his sarcasm. Instead he sneered. "Hnhnhn... Don't misunderstand, Kakashi. The biggest reason that I brought you back to this world is not about them."

"What?" Kakashi frowned.

"I still have other ways to get Sasuke," Kabuto pointed his finger straight up. "Ordering you to catch Kyuubi was just an attempt, it doesn't matter that you failed. You are... _my second insurance_."

"Insurance?" Kakashi repeated the word and got more confused. What is the man talking about?

"The preparation is coming to the end. I'm going to be busy these days, and won't have extra stamina to exercise sophisticated control on you." But Kabuto had no intention of offering further explanation. He just stood up and walked deep into the cave. "For the time being, you don't need to go out. Just stay here and guard the door."

The figure in black cloak vanished into the darkness. Kakashi stood there for a while, then went to sit down against the stone wall.

Until this time, he finally showed an exhausted expression on his face. He dropped his head back and closed his eyes.

What had happened under the bridge reappeared distinctly in front of his eyes. Thanks to Sharingan, he could remember exactlly every detail back then, and there was one thing that kept bothering him- "Itachi's truth" that Naruto had mentioned.

_"Captain, you once said that you got your Sharingan from your friend."_

_"Together with his wish."_

_"A friend's wish... Do we have to respond to it?"_

_"Yes... Personally, I think so."_

_"..."_

_"I've heard about what happened to Uchiha Shisui. Is there anything to do with him?"_

_"No. Nothing."_

_"Alright. I might not be the best person to help, but if you have any trouble, just tell me."_

_"...Yes, Captain."_

A dust-laden conversation that was made almost a decade ago popped up in his mind. Kakashi's eyes flew open, staring at the ceiling of the cave. 

Itachi's emotional abnormality during a period of time after Shisui's death... The atmosphere of tension in the village, rumours that the Uchiha clan had been secretly planning something... And Sandaime as well as Danzo's reaction and treatment after the massacre had happened...

_Could it be...?_

Unconsiously clenching his fist, Kakashi threw a heavy punch at the ground. Sighing with frustration, he curled up, buried his face in arms.

 _It's my fault,_ he blamed himself harshly. _If only I had been keener... been able to realize what Itachi's question had implied... to help him find another possible solution..._

Then maybe things would have not gotten to where it was now. And Sasuke would have not become who he was now.

_Sasuke..._

Thinking of his student, his disciple that he had taught ninjutsu hand by hand, Kakashi felt his heart which had stopped beating got painful again.

Former teammates killing each other- Sasuke's killing intent was serious. The last thing he had wanted to see finally happened. 

And what had caused this was his uselessness as the leader of Team Seven.

_"Don't worry! Soon things will go back to the way they used to be!"_

_The empty words that I had said to Sakura... were probably just what I wanted to hear myself._

_Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura. Sorry. I'm such an awful sensei._

Shove fingers deep into his hair, the jonin took a deep, trembling breath, then let it out slowly.

Sasuke must be stopped. He should never continue sinking into the abyss of revenge.

But...how?

He, Hatake Kakashi, was now only a dead man who was not even able to act at his own will.  
————————————

For a long time afterwards, all he could do was just waiting.

Every day Kakashi stayed idly in the cave, while Kabuto began to go out frequently. Things seemed went smooth, he was in a good mood, and didn't mind telling Kakashi what had happened outside.

Tsunade had woken up and returned to the Hokage seat; the five Kages had agreed to put Hachibi and Kyuubi together in order to protect them from Akatsuki; the shinobi allies had been formed, and the five nations were now unprecedentedly united.

And what they were going to confront were their deceased family and comrades, as well as Uchiha Madara's army of a hundred thousand White Zetsu.

_First Naruto, then others from Konoha and allies?_ Kakashi looked down at his palms. _How much more blood were these hands going to be stained..._

Thinking about this, he even wished Kabuto would have eliminated his consciousness, and turned him into a complete puppet.

"Don't worry," Kabuto told him, seemingly had guessed what he was thinking. "As one of my most precious pawns, you won't be sent to the battlefield, and consumed by the job that can be done by anyone else."

Again. Pawn. Insurance.

"What on earth makes me special and deserve to be treated differently? " Frowning, Kakashi studied Kabuto carefully, trying to figure out any smallest hint on his face.

"Well, you will find the answer when you come in handy," Kabuto smiled, no flaw in his expression, obviously enjoying Kakashi's bewilderment. "Tomorrow is going to be the day of formal action. Just stay still here until I give you order."  
————————————

On the next day.

Obito was heavily armed, carrying gunbai on his back. He met Kabuto in another cave; behind them there were rows of coffins stood sliently in a spooky atmosphere.

"First, former members of Akatsuki..." Kabuto waved his hand. In the first row, covers of the coffins dropped to the ground simultaneously, revealed the reincarnated shinobi inside.

Kakuzu, Deidara, Sasori, Nagato, and Uchiha Itachi.

"Next, the former Jinchuuriki," another row of coffin opened. "Then the previous Kages...and finally a group of skilled ninja who were famous in their own times."

Turning to Obito, Kabuto spread his arms. "Gorgeous, isn't it?" He said smugly with pride. "My army. As promised, you will give me Sasuke when the war ends. Please remember... I still have _one more person_ to reincarnate yet."

Obito didn't reply. He turned to face those Edo Tensei-ed shinobi, glance swept round the crowd, looking for a figure that was at once familiar and strange-

_He's not here._

Realizing this, Obito felt a mixture of different feelings. He didn't know what it was like: Loss? Pity? Or... relieved?

After all, they had both changed quite a lot during these years.

"As a matter of fact," Kabuto suddenly spoke, drew Obito back from his own thought. "You've collected so many Sharingan, including those on Danzo's arms. But there was still one left in Konoha now... Why don't you take it away?"

Involuntarily, Obito's hands in black gloves shivered slightly. The tiny reaction didn't escape the gaze of the Snake Sage's disciple; the corner of Kabuto's mouth curled up a little bit, ecstasy and confidence flashed in his eyes.

But Obito didn't notice Kabuto's expression. He was still wondering about the previous question. 

Why didn't he take the eye- _his eye_ \- back?

He suddenly realized that it had never been an option in his consideration. No matter when Kakashi was alive, or after his death.

For him that Mangekyou Sharingan was more percious than any other eyes. It was the only weakness of his Kamui.

But it was also his gift for Kakashi for his promotion to jonin.

Even if they had long gone their separate ways- even if that Kakashi was a fake.

Obito promptly cut off his mind before he sank into deeper thought. He was going to have war, and shouldn't be bothered by anyone or anything irrelevant.

"Because there is no need to do it," he heard himself answered indifferently. "A single eye with no pairing... Taking it back or not won't make any difference."

"Well that's a pity," Kabuto shook his head as if he really meant that. "That's Hatake Kakashi after all, and Konoha must be strictly on guard to protect his body. I was considering that it would be easy for you to sneak into the village with your ability, then I could have a finger in the pie and get him reincarnated, too. It seemed that it could only be my imagination."

Before he finished his words, the man in purple seemed had lost his patience to listen and strode out of the cave.

"Let's go," his voice was hoarse, and his tone grim and resolute. "The war begins!"  
————————————

By dusk, the reincarnated ones and White Zetsu army had encountered the shinobi allies in many places, turned the border area of Nation of Fire and Nation of Thunder into war zone.

Far from the main battlefield, Itachi was helping Nagato in the forest, walking slowly.

"How much... did you know about Akatsuki?" Nagato broke the silence.

"Maybe a little bit more than you." Itachi answered blandly.

"Hn. At last we both ended up being used... thanks to our powerful dojutsu. This time too, being forced to follow the technique user's orders."

"Pein," Itachi glanced at him. "With the Sage's power, your Rinnegan, combined with my Mangekyou Sharingan, we can almost do anything. It seems that the user plans to take this opportunity to- "

Before Itachi could finish his words, a dazzling light spot popped up out of nowhere, sweeping past the two shinobi's eyes quickly, then vanished.

Itachi stopped talking as well as walking. Eyes slightly widen, he looked around and finally rest his gaze on somewhere to their left front.

"What's that?" Nagato lowered his volume. "Enemy?"

Itachi jusk shook his head. He raised one hand; Nagato saw him deftly made a series of complicated gestures. It was not like hand seals for releasing a justu, and Itachi seemed to be exchanging information with someone by using secret signals.

The slient communication lasted for about three minutes. Finally Itachi put down his arm and sighed.

"Alright," he said, ignoring Nagato's look with suspicion. "Let's go."  
————————————

On the next day at dawn.

Naruto was running with all his strength. His whole body was covered in the golden chakra of Kyuubi, and just looked like a mini sun from a distance.

_Someone unknown has brought a lot of deceased shinobi back to this world by Edo Tensei. Report from the frontline said that the Ino-Shika-Cho met Asuma. Naruto, if you... anyway, be prepared._

Thinking of what he had heard from Tsunade, the blond couldn't help but gritting his teeth, fire burning in his eyes.

 _I've met him already,Tsunade baa-chan,_ he answered inwardly.

_Yakushi Kabuto... Until when will you stop making a fool of the dead... making my sensei suffer more?!_

"Wait, Naruto!" Killer Bee shouted behind him. "Where are you going? Do you have any idea about what to do now?"

"There is a person that I must beat him up!" Naruto answered without looking back. "I don't know where to find him yet, but I'll never give up... Wow!"

He suddenly exclaimed and abruptly stopped, staring at the two reincarnated shinobi that appeared in front of him.

Nagato and Itachi.

"Finally catch up with you, idiot!" Killer Bee stopped beside him, breathing dramatically; then he realized the weird atmosphere. "You know each other, Naruto?"

"Yeah," Naruto answered. "Both of them!"

"Naruto!" Nagato's eyes light up at the sight of the blond, happiness showed on his haggard face. "I never thought we would have to fight you. I suppose it's been some time since we last met... but for a dead man like me it doesn't feel like that long. You look different."

"Eh... You mean this?" Naruto reached out and looked at his own hands. "I took control of Kyuubi, and it's the nine-tails chakra mode. "

Nagato seemed suprised but smiled soon. "You've subjugated Kyuubi... Having advanced so far, no wonder you are my fellow apprentice. So, have you conquered your hatred?"

Naruto nodded solemnly at him. "Yes. As my senior apprentice, it was you who taught me what pain meant. Bee here trained me at the Fall of Truth, and I met mom and dad... I made it this far because of all you guys!" He grinned widely.

"Naruto," Itachi who had been slient spoke suddenly. "I have something to ask you."

The blond turned his gaze to Itachi. His smile vanished and face became serious. "That's just what I want to say to you."

"You-"

Itachi froze before the next word came out. In the next moment, he finished the hand seals and put two fingers to his mouth, heaving his cheeks-

" _Fire release: Great Fireball Technique!_ "

_Bang!_

A giant fireball burst out of his mouth, heat wave radiated in all directions. Both Naruto and Killer Bee sprang high into the air, successfully dodged the powerful blow.

"They are manipulated!" Killer Bee shouted. "Fight first, okay?"

The two dropped back to the ground.

"Above!" Nagato warned, though he had made hand seals uncontrollably, summoned several giant beasts.

Naruto looked up and just saw Itachi jumped down from the mid-air.

"Don't look directly into my eyes!" The raven haired shinobi shouted, tomoe in his eyes had changed their shape.

"Watch out, Bee!" Seeing this, Naruto tensed up at once and hastened to alert Killer Bee. "If he gets you with Amaterasu or Tsukuyomi.... Urghhhhhhhh!"

Before finishing his words, he suddenly grasped his throat and retched violently. A crow came out of his mouth, cawing, then fluttered and flew towards Itachi.

"After all, it came out..." Itachi murmured.

He closed his right eye which the Mangekyou Sharingan was activated, tears of blood dropped from the corner of the eye. Then it flew open again, looking at the abnormal right eye of the crow.

"Wha- What is that?" Naruto said with astonishment, wiping his saliva. "Why did I just spit out a crow... Wait! I remember! It was you back then..."

"It worked." Itachi fell down beside him while speaking, and immediately turned around, opened both of his eyes and looked at Nagato's summoned beasts.

" _Amaterasu!_ "

With his word, black fire started burning all over the beasts' bodies.

"Calm down," Itachi raised his hand to stop Killer Bee who was about to rush towards him with blades in hands. "I'm not being controlled now. I layered a new genjustu on top of the enemy's justu, which is an order... to 'Protect Konoha'. I rigged the crow so it would show itself and react to my Mangekyou sharingan. In case things went wrong, I implanted something into its left eye."

"It was... Uchiha Shisui's Mangekyou Sharingan, the ultimate genjustu, _Kotoamatsukami_! "

"Uchiha Shisui..." All of these had happened too fast for Naruto to fully understand. Repeating the strange name, he seemed still confused.

Sadness flashed in Itachi's eyes. "It's not a good time to talk about the details," he said quietly. "Let's defeat Nagato first."  
————————————

The fight was over. Under the cooperation of Naruto, Itachi and Killer Bee, Nagato was sealed by the Sword of Totsuka and finally rested in peace.

"...That's all I need to say. " Itachi ended the talk between him and Naruto with these words. "Leave the controller of Edo Tensei to me, you two go to fight Madara now."

"You're right... I guess I was just too obsessed with absolutely having to do something." Naruto calmed down after talking with Itachi. "But I must stop the Edo Tensei with my own hands. I've promised someone to do that."

To his surprise, Itachi smiled.

"It was Kakashi-san, right?" He said. "Don't worry. I've got in contact with _captain_ , and he wasn't sent to the battlefield. "

"Oh, that's great!" Naruto was quite relieved at Itachi's words. He patted his chest. "If Kakashi-sensei were forced to fight anyone from Konoha again, he would definitely- Wait, WHAT?!" He suddenly realized what was wrong, jumped up and stared at Itachi. "You called Kakashi-sensei ' _captain_ '?!"

"So he had never told you guys about it," Itachi nodded. "When I was in ANBU, he was my immediate superior. We had worked together for two years."

"Immediate superior... worked together for two years..." Naruto mumbled. "Then you put him in your Tsukuyomi."

"Special situation, special strategy. During undercover missions in ANBU, it was one of the necessary means to gain enemies' trust. Captain would understand it." Itachi said as if it was just something taken for granted. He paused, then turned around. "Anyway, time is running out. Let go to do what we should do separately. Agree to leave Kabuto to me now?"

"Yep!" Naruto nodded vigorously and thumbed up at the raven haired shinobi's back. "Good luck!"  
——————————————

One behind the other, two figures darted through the forest.

The man in the front suddenly waved his hand. Dozens of crows flew out of his sleeves, cawing noisily, rushing towards the teenager behind, aiming straight at his face.

"...Urgh!" Subconsciously, Sasuke raised his arms to parry and inevitably slowed down.

"Stay there," he heard Itachi's bland voice echoed off. "Don't follow me."

He shouldn't say that. Sasuke was instantly enraged by his brother's words. Eyes turned red from black, the pattern of Mangekyou Sharingan appeared in his pupils.

" _Amaterasu!_ "

The crowd of crows was engulfed in the black fire. Sasuke looked around, but Itachi had been out of his sight.

"Damn!" He couldn't help but cursed, running towards the direction that his brother's chakra signature had gone.

_"When you were alive you always had no time to look after me. Every time you only said 'Forgive me', then poke my forehead and ran away. Now you are dead, are you still going to run away from me?"_

_"I'm not running away. I've told you that I have important things to do."_

Thinking of the conversation that they had made several minutes ago, Sasuke got more and more impatient.

 _I don't care what are you going to do!_ He shouted inwardly. _Now you are in front of my eyes... I have a mountain of things to ask you! Why are you running away now? Do you feel guilty because you lied to me? Or you don't have the courage to tell me the truth?_

_I'm not in an illusion any more. I've broken your genjustu! These were your eyes, and it was you that changed everything about me!_

_Crash!_

There came a bang from the front as if mountain stones were crushed down. Sasuke startled and sped up; he saw Itachi had used his Susanoo to smash the rock face, and was talking to someone inside.

"Hahahaha!" He heard a familiar voice, and the man was guffawing. "So fortune is finally on my side!"

Obviously Itachi had also sensed his presence. He sighed. "It turned out to be much worse than I expected. Geez."

"What do you come here for-" Sasuke stopped beside him, about to continue his words before he recognized who was standing opposite. A look of disgust immediately came across his face. "It's you."

"I wasn't expect my compensation for helping with this war to come here of its own accord at this timing..." Kabuto fleered. He licked his lips. "This is lucky."

"Sasuke," Itachi stuck his arm out between his little brother and Kabuto. "If you really want to help, then stop his accomplice who is coming here for me. Don't let that man interfere my fight... Or it's going to be really troublesome."

"Accomplice?" Sasuke was bemused, but Itachi didn't explain further. Instead he just raised his volume and exclaimed, "Be quick!"

Threw a last glance at his brother, Sasuke stepped back and left the cave. He turned around, looking into the dark, quiet forest, activating his Sharingan to search for anything suspicious.

As if he had sensed something, the raven haired teenager suddenly looked up on the nearest tree. 

Sasuke didn't know when the silver-haired jonin had arrived, but the reincarnated shinobi was now standing sliently on the branch, looking down at him.

"I didn't expect to met you again so soon," the man sighed.

With this he raised his right hand. Dense lightning gathered between his fingers, sizzling harshly. 

"Me either," Sasuke answered coldly. Just as what his sensei had done, he also raised his right hand, lightning of the same density glittering in his palm, the sound of crying birds reverberated through the forest.

"And this time... it won't be as simple as just smashing your head!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter: Sasuke vs Kakashi! ...Well, sort of. And Kabuto was going to reveal an astonishing secret! ...Well, not that astonishing to readers, though.  
> Anyway, see you next week and thanks for reading! Reviews are appreciated.


	7. Truth Revealed

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late update! I've been busy as hell since February. Anyway, I'll try my best to keep updating. The story will not be abandoned, I promise.  
> Enjoy!

The same dazzling lightning and the same shrill sounds. Hatake Kakashi and Uchiha Sasuke, the master and disciple that had parted company and been separated by life and death, stood at where they were, sliently gazing at each other.

Sasuke looked up at Kakashi. He remembered when they had last met; back then his eyesight had deteriorated to a considerable degree, and he had not even been able to see the surroundings clearly all the time. When Kakashi had started walking away from him and Naruto, he had soon failed to catch his figure before the jonin had gone too far.

But now it was different. He had implanted Itachi's eyes, and even in such a dim woodland, he could still effortlessly see the nearby environment without missing a tiny detail, including those split ends of the cracks on the silver-haired shinobi's face.

Therefore, for the second time, he keenly realized that the man was dead.

The only sensei that he had acknowledged. The man who had protected him, taken care of him, and selflessly taught him his unique skill during his short period of time in Konoha. The man who, in a sense, had filled the roles of father and brother that he had lost- though Sasuke was reluctant to admit it.

But now everything have changed. Neither him nor Kakashi were able to go back to who they had used to be.

"Well, I didn't imagine you value my head like that," Kakashi smiled at Sasuke's words, tilting his head. "Anyway, it's just an Edo Tensei-ed body, so you can smash it as many times as you want... as long as you can make it, of course."

Sasuke frowned. Kakashi was a highly skilled shinobi, whose only shortage was his low stamina. However, as a reincarnated one, he now had unlimited chakra. The Edo Tensei-ed body wouldn't feel painful or tired, and was able to recover itself when it got damaged, and Sasuke knew better than anyone how lethal chidori could be. A tricky opponent.

"Even though I want to have a friendly combat practice with my lovely student..." Kakashi drawled. Sasuke could see his body shimmering, which meant he was trying hard to resist Kabuto's order to attack. "I need to remind you one thing. Don't just fight me; your mission is to protect Itachi and prevent me from interfering his fight against Kabuto. Don't even let me have him in sight."

"Kabuto's aim is to make me send Itachi to another dimension by Mangekyo Sharingan. You still have a lot of words for Itachi, don't you? Then make sure that it won't happen."

Sasuke couldn't help but got anxious at Kakashi's words. Susanoo immediately appeared around him and smashed the rock behind. With a huge bang, the ledge collapsed, chunks of debris fell down and blocked the hole that Itachi had just broken, preventing them from catching sight of the two men standing in the cave, facing each other.

"So that's the Susanoo, huh? How pratical," Kakashi nodded. "Well done. So now we no longer need to worry about distracting Itachi and- "

He suddenly vanished from the branch before finishing his words. In no time Sasuke was on the alert; almost out of his fighting instinct, he managed to twist his body just in time to dodge the attack and leaped aside.

"-can have a good talk now."

The man's voice sounded from where he was standing. Kakashi drew back his arm that he had reached out. If Sasuke was not able to dodge, it would have undoubtfully pierced through his side waist.

"I have no words with you!" Sasuke snapped, raising his voice. Kakashi rushed at him again, and this time he was using taijustu. The two shinobi began an unarmed combat in the narrow space of the forest. "You just want to stop my revenge, don't you? Feel lucky for being dead, Kakashi! If you were still alive, you would have been the first one that I have killed! "

"Mahh," Kakashi sighed with make-believe sadness, raising his arm to parry Sasuke's kick. "Now I see you've learned nothing good from Orochimaru in those three years."

Sasuke sneered. "Isn't it your honor to die in the same way as Sandaime did? "

Kakashi tilted his head to dodge a punch. His eyes curled into a smile. "So you still treat me as your sensei. I'm really glad to hear that."

Sasuke growled. Not until now has he realized that he had stepped into the older ninja's trap of language.

"And by the way, to answer your question before-" Kakashi took out a kunai and blocked Sasuke's sword with it, the spark of collision flew off in all directions. "Yes. I come here to stop your revenge."

"Daydreaming," Sasuke snorted. "Words won't make any sense. Kill me if you want to stop me! "

"Well, I planned so-" the raven haired boy instantly tensed his body, "-Just kidding. Kabuto wants you alive, so he won't let me kill you. Once the Edo Tensei no Justu is terminated, I'll soon leave the world, so there won't be enough time for me to do that. Not to mention Itachi's here as well, and if I want to end your life, he won't just stand there and do nothing. Oh, speak of him... I need to greet with my old friend."

"Don't speak in _that_ tone as if you're familiar with my brother!" Sasuke narrowed his eyes dangerously, enhancing his strength on his hands. Kakashi did a graceful back slip and fell back onto the ground a few steps away.

"It's not 'as if' - _Lightning Release: Lightning Beast Tracking Fang!_ After all, I've been his superior for two years, and took care of him in ANBU for a period of time. Being deceived and tortured by his Tsukuyomi for three days, I don't think it is asking very much to get an explanation from him, isn't it?"

Sasuke has just offset Kakashi's jutsu by Chidori Sharp Spear, and felt surprised at his words. When Itachi had been in ANBU, he had never told Sasuke anything about his work, so until now did he finally learned that his brother and sensei were used to be acquaintances.

There was a rumble at the other side of the ledge. It seemed that the fight between Itachi and Kabuto has became white-hot. As an evidence, Kakashi stopped attacking- It was like Kabuto no longer had spare energy to manipulate the reincarnated ones.

"Sasuke, I must apologize to you," Kakashi sighed. He gazed at the boy with a heavy expression. "I owe you so much."

Sasuke was unmoved, looking at him coldly. "As a member of Konoha, apologizing for what happened to me, my brother, and my clan?"

"If you want to interpret it like this, it's okay," Kakashi nodded indifferently. "But I mean to apologize personally. Nine years ago, I failed to help Itachi; and four years ago, I failed you again. If I had been more cautious, maybe I could have sensed the Sound Four and prevented them from inciting you and taking you away. If I had said my words more clearly, maybe you could have understood what I had meant better. I only hope it's still not too late to tell you these now."

He paused, raising his hand and pointing at his own left eye. "Last time when you met Naruto, you said you wanted to know how I got my Sharingan, didn't you?"

" _Let me tell you myself._ "

* * *

 

Therefore, Sasuke learned about a long story filled with blood, sacrifice, agony and guilt.

Kakashi told about Sakumo's brilliant achievements and dismal ending, and himself who had turned to stick to rules. He told about the bickers between him and Obito, even more frequent than that between Naruto and Sasuke, and the doomed mission at Kannabi Bridge that had changed their fates. He told about Rin who had been kidnapped by Mist Nins who had later sealed Sanbi into her body, and he had killed her by his own hand under the help of Sharingan, the present from his deceased friend.

He told about the distant Second Ninja War, when his parents had encountered Sasori's parents on the battlefield. His father had killed Sasori's parents, but his mother had been poisoned by an insoluble chronic poison, and become weak, finally died giving birth to him. But he had cooperated with Chiyo and completed the mission of rescuing Gaara, hence ended the chain of hatred between the two families. He also told about when he had killed the Iwa Nin who had created the falling boulds with perfect Chidori after receiving the implanted Sharingan, successfully avenged for Obito, however, he still couldn't bring his friend back to life, and all he had got was only endless emptiness and regret.

Sasuke was surprised at his own unexpected patience. When Kakashi was talking, he had not interrupted him even once, nor showed any apathetic expression. He knew Kakashi was a man who hated to talk about his past- especially the past that was so unpleasant.

In order to persuade him to give up his revenge, the man willingly tore open his wound that had not been cured even after those many years by his own hands, showing him the bloody inside. Although Sasuke didn't think he would change his mind because of Kakashi's words, he decided to respect his sensei's effort.

But at the same time, he also became increasingly confused while listening: why was Kakashi still loyal to Konoha after having suffered so much?

See what he had experienced. His father had contributed a lot to the village, but later ended his own life miserably just because of saving his comrade, and he as a little child had also been nailed onto the pillar of shame and isolated by others. After Obito's death, he had come back to Konoha, even if Yondaimei had sworn on his life that Obito had voluntarily given out the Sharingan, the Uchiha clan had still almost gouged his eye out, and firmly believed that he had killed his teammate for the eye, while some other jealous people had helped with the spread of rumour. Rin's suicide had not been his fault, but he had still been branded as a teammate killer- a man who once said "I'll never let my comrades die in front of my eyes".

From the boy that had been rejected, disdained and maliciously speculated by most people in the village, to the respected elite jonin that Team Seven had later met, how many difficulties had Kakashi overcome to gain his reputation? Despite all these painful memories, why had he still treated himself as a soldier of Konoha, and willingly sacrificed himself for the village? Persuaded him to give up revenge even _now_?

Sasuke didn't realize that he had spoken out the question aloud until he saw the silver haired jonin raised his eyebrow.

"You've been listening to my long, tedious and undesirable story all the way," Kakashi told him gladly. "I'm really flattered."

Feeling awkward and annoyed, Sasuke looked away.

"In terms of this question, I know the person that you want to ask most is not me, but Itachi," Kakashi said, scratching the back of his head. "The situations were not the same, so perhaps our answers are also different. However, maybe you can treat mine as a reference. "

He put down his arm. For an instant, Sasuke observed something dark and cold inside Kakashi's eyes- what he would find from himself when he looked into a mirror.

"One thing you said was wrong- It's not that I never had the feeling of hatred."

Sasuke widened his eyes slightly, staring at Kakashi with disbelief.

"The worst period was probably right after my father's suicide," the man said with a dead voice that Sasuke had never heard from him. "Back then I was a chunin, and all my teammates were adults. They had already doubted my ability because of my age, and after my father had died, they began to treat me like a pest, as if they feared that I would follow my father and make their missions fail. In order to prove myself as well as that I was different from my father, I tried my best every time, but then they said I stole the show and had no respect for seniors. It was only because they couldn't catch up with me in all aspects, despite they were much older than me... At that time I hated not only those people, but also my father who had died and found peace himself, while left me to face the world alone. "

"Thankfully I had Minato-sensei then," Kakashi sighed. The grim look in his eyes disappeared along with the sigh, and his voice returned to normal. "Even if he was very busy, he still managed to spend some time with me regularly. And there was Jiraiya-sama... Although they failed to completely dispel the darkness in my heart, at least they helped me to restrain it. "

"Then there were Obito and Rin's accidents," the silver haired jonin said, looking down at his own hand. "Though the causes and details were different, the impacts were similar. It didn't matter what they said about me, after all it was my fault; however, heroic as Obito was, he was remarked as a lame duck who had not even been able to keep his own Sharingan, while Rin who had sacrificed herself for the village was treated as a wretch who had been so unfortunate for being assigned to the same team as me. They insulted their deaths. "

He looked up at Sasuke and laughed dryly, with no humor in his voice.

"I won't hide the truth from you. I did come up with the thought of killing them all and destroying myself along in my most desperate time. But that was not what Rin and Obito had expected. They had sacrificed themselves for Konoha, just like my sensei, Yondaime Hokage, so I felt obligated to follow their last will and live on in their ways."

"Then what about yourself?" Sasuke couldn't help but asked. "You said you lived for them, but don't you have your own wish? Don't you have your own choice? Then what's the difference between you... and a _tool_? What's your meaning of existence? "

"Why on earth is the village worthy of all your devotion? "

That's what he wanted to ask Itachi, too.

"Shinobi _is_ a tool, "Kakashi said quietly. "The more turbulent the times are, the more obvious the fact is. But shinobi is also human and has emotions, and that's why we can feel unfair, resentful and anguished. "

"What you said is not quite right. Living for them and being a tool for the village when necessary was my own will. My choice. No one have forced me to do so, " he paused for a moment and suddenly smiled very softly. "To describe it in a word... it may be ' _protection_ '."

"The lives of my living comrades and the will of the deceased ones; for me the village is just the embodiment of both of them. So I want to protect it."

" _And that's what being a ninja means for Hatake Kakashi._ "

Then they fell into a long silence.

"I still can't understand your choice. If I were you, I would have never made the same decision," Sasuke suddenly said after a moment. His voice was still cold, but calmer. "Seems we really belong to different worlds."

"Don't be so arbitrary," Kakashi looked at him mildly. "People are all changing during lifetime. When I was a child, I've never expected to become a person like this."

Meanwhile the ledge aside suddenly began to shake with a rumble. Following the sound, the sensei and student saw the debris dropped and revealed Itachi inside the cave. A few steps away behind him, Kabuto was standing still there, as if he had been put into some sort of genjustu.

"Long time no see, Itachi," Kakashi said before Sasuke could speak up. "Looks like you've succeeded."

"Long time no see, Captain," Itachi nodded at him with a smile. "By good fortune."

Kakashi sighed. He walked towards Itachi, putting his hand onto the younger man's shoulder- They were indeed acquaintances, Sasuke thought, there were not many people that Itachi would love to have body contact with- "What a perfect lie, wasn't it? And that Tsukuyomi... It was not your revenge on me for having made you do errands here and there, right?"

"Becuse it was an undercover mission. Of course you understand what it means, Captain. But I still need to apologize- Sorry for deceiving you. Plus, thank you for taking care of Sasuke when he was in Konoha."

"He didn't," Sasuke murmured behind them.

The two adults smiled at each other. "Alright, " Kakashi said, patted Itachi's shoulder before dropping his arm. "Although I want to have a nice chat with you right here, since we are all dead, there will be plenty of time when we are back to the afterworld. The Allied Shinobi Forces are still fighting the reincarnated ones, and the most important thing now is to stop the Edo Tensei no justu. But before that... You two still need to have a talk, don't you? And I just remember that I have something to ask Kabuto."

Itachi nodded. "He is trapped in my genjustu _Izanami_ , and should not be able to get out of it for a time. If you want to interrogate him, Captain, just activate your Sharingan."

"Okay," with this word, Kakashi left the Uchiha brothers alone and went towards Kabuto.

“Answer my question,” he grabbed Kabuto's hair, in order to make the other man slightly raise his head and meet the Sharingan. "What is exactly your reason for reincarnating me? What did you mean by 'second insurance'?"

"I... reincarnated you," Kabuto's voice was slow and dull. "because I need to use you against the man who calls himself 'Uchiha Madara'. "

"'Calls himself'?"

"He... is not the real Madara. I've found... Madara's corpse before. Then I began... to investigate his identity."

Kakashi was astonished at his words. So Tobi was not Uchiha Madara. Then who is he?

"I looked into... Akatsuki's history, as well as... the whereabouts of the man... who had claimed himself to be Madara. I found that he had once... manipulated the Fourth Mizukage... before the Uchiha clan had been slaughtered. So I narrowed my list of suspects to... those Uchiha members who had been identified as deceased before Uchiha massacre... yet their bodies had been nowhere to be found."

_Identified as deceased before Uchiha massacre. Bodies had been nowhere to be found._

Kakashi suddenly felt very dizzy. His ears were humming, as if someone had smashed his head with a huge hammer. He shook his head fiercely and tried his best to shove the uneasy sense of foreboding away.

_That's impossible. It can't be him- Impossible._

"I circled several names on the list... and put one of them on the top," Kabuto continued. "After analyzing all the abilities of Mangekyo Sharingan... that have been known presently, I found both the fake Madara's right eye and your left eye... apply some sort of space-time ninjustu. Only Sharingan... can confront Sharingan. So I reincarnated you... lest my deal with him might not go as smoothly as expected."

"And just yesterday... I've confirmed his real identity."

"And he is...?" Swaying in his place, Kakashi took a shaky breath and asked with all his strength that he could muster.

Though he already had an answer in his mind. And Kabuto's answer just proved it correct-

_"-Uchiha Obito."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next Chapter: Itachi's persuasion and Kakashi's decision.  
> For those who are still following the story (if there are any), I would like to say thank you to you all and appreciate your patience. Promise again, I will never abandon it.  
> Reviews are appreciated!


	8. The Last Thing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: For all who are still following the story, thank you very much!  
> Enjoy!

**Chapter 8: One Last Thing**  
  
As the name was spoken out, Kakashi's world collapsed into a thousand pieces.  
  
For a time he could feel nothing. The dim and damp cave around, the Uchiha brothers who were talking over there, Kabuto who was standing still with a dull expression, all of them suddenly disappeared in front of his eyes.  
  
Numerous images swiftly passed through his minds. Obito who had rushed into the training field, sweat slipping down his cheeks. Obito who had had shopping bags in both hands, chattering happily with an old lady. Obito who had saw human remains on the battlefield, weeping while still trying to behave bravely. Obito who had always blushed and stuttered in front of Rin, but could turn to yell at him in the next second. And the masked man who had feigned madness and acted like an idiot, the masked man who had completely ignored all their attempts of attacks as if they were nothing, the masked man who had stood high on the branch, looking down at him with an crimson eye.  
  
The images of the two distinct figures kept flickering, flickering, faster and faster, and finally merged into a third one. The black haired boy was half crushed under the bould, tears of blood rolling down from the empty eye socket, while the corner of his lips curling into a satisfied smile.  
  
_"I believe that the White Fang is a true hero."_  
  
_"Indeed, those in the ninja world who break the rules and regulations are called trash, but those who abandoned their comrades are even worse than trash!"_  
  
_"No matter what those people in the village have said... you are a great jonin... that's how I feel..."_  
  
_"I'm going to die... but I'll become your eye, and help you to see the future..."_  
  
_No, Obito. I'm not a great jonin. I failed to keep my promise. I failed to protect Rin. I'm worse than trash._  
  
_So is that your punishment to me? Is that the future you want me to see?_  
  
_Future when you are still alive, but no more who you were; when you are still alive, but I'm already dead._  
  
_Obito, I..._  
  
"...Captain? Captain! Kakashi!"  
  
Someone was shaking his shoulders. Someone was calling his name, whose voice sounded like coming from a distant place.  
  
_Who is that?_  
  
_Oh, it's Itachi._  
  
With this realization, the scattered real world stuck together again around Kakashi, while still remained ugly cracks like his face, and would never be able to be perfectly repaired.  
  
He slowly turned to look at the Uchiha brothers who had just come to him.  
  
"He's Obito," Kakashi heard himself speaking hoarsely, as if his vocal cords had not been used for years. "'Madara' is Obito."  
  
His words was ambiguous, but obviously the two Uchihas have both understood it. Spontaneously, they widened their eyes with astonishment.  
  
"Kabuto said it?" Actually it was Sasuke who spoke first. "Is his words 100% credible?"  
  
Kakashi moved his gaze towards his former student. He felt his brain was a total chaos, and his usual sharp wit had become extremely slow. It now seemed to take several seconds for him to process the meaning of others' words after hearing them.  
  
_I don't know. Kabuto said he had somehow confirmed his speculation, but he had never met Obito himself, so it's not necessarily true. I hope it's not true._  
  
He should answer Sasuke like that, but his lips were still, and he could utter no word. It was like the words he had just said had exhausted all his strength.  
  
Itachi frowned. "Captain," he said. "Look at me."  
  
Kakashi mechanically followed his order- what he looked into was the Uchiha's Mangekyo Sharingan.  
  
_"Tsukuyomi."_  
  
The world turned into red and black in a flash. In the next second, Kakashi found himself in the jonin uniform of Konoha, and bounded on a cross, while Itachi in Akatsuki's cloak was standing in front of him with a sharp katana in his hand.  
  
_How familiar..._  
  
Before the thought had slowly soaked into his mind, he felt a spasm of pain in his left side. Clenching his fists, Kakashi yanked his head up. Biting his lip, he gave a painful grunt-  
  
_Wait._  
  
...A spasm of pain?  
  
He was already dead. The Edo Tensei-ed body shouldn't feel pain.  
  
And he shouldn't have body temperature, or heart beats, or real breath.  
  
"Seems you finally come back to yourself," Itachi said. With his words, the cross suddenly disappeared and Kakashi dropped back to the ground. He could still feel pain in where it had been stabbed, but the wound had been healed as if it hadn't exist in the first place.  
  
Itachi was still standing there, but the katana in his hand was nowhere to be found.  
  
_Drawing me back to reality by pain stimulation in a genjustu world. What a_ genius _idea._  
  
But Kakashi must admit that Itachi's way was effective. The feeling of despair which had wrapped him around like dense fog had vanished, and he could think normally again. He sighed and straightened. "You're going to keep stabbing me until I respond, aren't you?"  
  
"Who knows," his former subordinate didn't deny his guess. After a pause, Itachi asked, "So, Tobi is Uchiha Obito?"  
  
"That's what Kabuto said," Kakashi answered. He couldn't help but put his hand onto his left chest, feeling his heart beating inside- although it was just an illusion. "He doesn't look like one to jump to conclusion, and we can prove whether he is correct or not in a really simple way. "  
  
"Your eye," Itachi immediately understood it.  
  
"Exactly," Kakashi nodded. "If the masked man really... really is Obito, our dojutsu must have something in common. Thus, if I'm able to do what he has done before, then it proves- "  
  
"It proves that Tobi and you share the same pair of eyes," Itachi interrupted him. "But it doesn't necessarily mean that he is Obito. Maybe he just got an implanted eye from Obito, just like you."  
  
Kakashi fell into silence. Obito had become the arch-criminal to start the war, or Obito's corpse had been destroyed and his eye stolen, neither of them was what he would like to see.  
  
"You want to see it with your own eyes, don't you?" Itachi stared at him. "Otherwise you can't rest in peace."  
  
Kakashi took a shaky breath.  
  
"If.... he really is Obito," he said slowly. "Then I should definitely be responsible for his change. If I didn't know it, that's fine; now that I've learned about the whole thing, I can't treat it as if nothing happened. "  
  
"So what you plan to do is not only confirmation. Then what? If he is Obito, what are you gonna do? " Itachi pointed out a tough question in a rather tame tone.  
  
_Are you going to kill him_ \- That's his unsaid words, and Kakashi understood it.  
  
The silver haired jonin looked down at his own right hand. It had pierced through Rin's heart and broken his promise to Obito. And now, is he going to do the same thing again, thrusting his arm into Obito's chest?  
  
Just thinking of it was already able to make his fingers twitch involuntarily. But Kakashi instantly suppressed his emotions, clenching his hand into a fist.  
  
"If it's the only way to end the war," he answered after a long moment. His tone was incredibly calm, as if he has been accustomed to the irony of fate. "I'd rather do it myself. I'll apologize to him when we meet again in the afterworld."  
  
Then they fell into silence. The black sun silently hung above their heads.  
  
"When fighting Kabuto, I felt both hostile and sympathic towards him at the same time," finally Itachi began with something seemed irrelevant. "Because we were similar... We were both those who walked in the world as a spy.  Day after day, we lived in lies, deceiving others while also deceived by ourselves,  and finally lost ourselves in the falsehood. I didn't realize it until I'm dead."  
  
"The self cognition is not forcing oneself to accomplish everything perfectly, but being aware of one's limits of abilities. We should learn to forgive our incapability. Just because we can't solve every problem on our own, we need to have friends to cover each other's shortage."  
  
He looked at Kakashi with a smile. "You kept emphasizing the importance of teamwork since ANBU, but in fact, you always preferred to take the responsibility alone, Captain. "  
  
Kakashi sighed and scratched the back of his head. "It's you who solved the whole Uchiha problem alone saying that."  
  
"Exactly," Itachi said quietly. "I used to bear all the burden, thinking I could handle it without anyone else's help. I did't trust Sasuke and only treated him as a child who needed to be protected; I arbitrarily manipulated his life, deciding that was the best for him. But I failed."  
  
"It's my fault that Sasuke has changed to who he is now. Therefore, I have no right to judge whatever choice he makes for the future. But now I'm reassured, because I've entrusted him to Naruto. He still has friends, and he's not alone. I believe Sasuke won't follow my wrong footsteps."  
  
"Naruto's your student. You should trust him, commending the responsiblities to him instead of undertaking it yourself. You should believe that Naruto can defeat Obito, just like I believe he can influence Sasuke. "  
  
“And the dead should not intrude too much into the livings' world... no matter how reluctant he is to leave,” Itachi ended his persuasion with this statement. "You've experienced wars and witnessed so many deaths, you know it."  
  
"Obito is an orphan." Kakashi said suddenly.  
  
"Yes?" Itachi raised an eyebrow bewilderly, obviously didn't understand why Kakashi mentioned this with no reason.  
  
"You were just about four years old when the Third Ninja War came to the end, and probably knew little about him," Kakashi didn't explain but continued. "He had lost his parents since born, and been living alone in a house at the edge of your compound. He was called the black sheep of Uchiha then, and didn't get along well with any other clan members. It was fair to say that he had no acquaintances other than Minato-sensei, Kushina-san, Rin and I."  
  
"If you leave, Sasuke will still have Naruto; but everyone else in Team Minato has already died. If I leave as well, then Obito will really have no one."  
  
Itachi's eyes slightly widened. "Captain, you..."  
  
"I did said that I would go to kill him myself if there were no other choices, however... I still feel that I need to have a try before giving up," Kakashi looked at him with a bitter smile. "I certainly trust Naruto; I trust his abilities more than anyone else, but I still believe in Obito, too."  
  
"He is not the Obito you knew now, Captain. That Obito in your memory _no longer exists_ ," for the first time Itachi said with emphasis. "There is something that you haven't learned about. Maybe I shouldn't tell you this, but..." he sighed. "It was him who have helped me to slaughter our whole clan at that night nine years ago. And as far as I know, sixteen years ago it had also been him who had taken advantage of Uzumaki Kushina giving birth to Naruto which had resulted in the weakness of the seal, to manipulate Kyuubi into attacking the village."  
  
“It was him... It was Uchiha Obito who has caused Yondaimei and his wife's deaths.”  
  
A dead silence. In the genjustu of Tsukuyomi, the illusion of which they were still alive, Itachi saw Kakashi widened his eyes in horror, both his expression and his gaze froze.  
  
"...Captain?" Itachi asked tentatively. He spread his hand, and a dagger suddenly appeared in it.  
  
"...No. No need to do that." As Itachi was uncertain about if he should stab the other man again, Kakashi had already recovered from astonishment and waved his hand. "I'm fine."  
  
Despite saying that, the silver haired jonin was obviously in an awful mental state- he was breathing rapidly, chest heaving, drops of sweat welling up on his forehead.  
  
“I know I shouldn't think so,” Kakashi stared down at the water underneath, blankly moving his gaze. His voice was too low to be heard, as if he was not talking to Itachi, but himself. "Knowing Obito is the man who should be responsible for Minato-sensei's death, and the man who has started the war, yet I still... hope him can live on. I shouldn't think so."  
  
He took a deep breath, burying his face into his hands.  
  
"Maybe... you are right," his muffled voice finally came out from his hands. "Maybe Obito will never return to who he used to be. Despite so... I want to believe that the hero Obito is still there, deep in his heart."  
  
Kakashi looked up. He has fully regained his composure, and become even more determined than before, desperate resolution shining in his eyes.  
  
"To awaken that Obito I knew... As his comrade and friend, that's the last thing I can do for him."  
  
"Sounds like whatever I say will not change your mind," Itachi said after studying Kakashi for a while.  
  
Kakashi smiled a little.  
  
"I've been obedient and well-behaved through my whole life," he said quietly. "Just let me have my own way for once after death."

* * *

  
  
They came back to the reality in where only a second had passed. Sasuke was still standing there with exactly the same expression as before.  
  
Looking at Kabuto, Itachi activated his Sharingan. "How to stop the Edo Tensei?"  
  
“Make hand seals of Rat, Ox, Monkey, Tiger, Dragon and Boar... Then say 'Release'.”  
  
"Is there any way that the reincarnated one can break the summon contract but remain in this world?" Kakashi asked.  
  
Sasuke raised an eyebrow.  
  
"After the summoner has released the Edo Tensei... and before you soul ascend... make hand seals in the sequence of... Snake, Ram, Boar, Dog and Tiger."  
  
Itachi and Kakashi nodded at each other.  
  
"Wait," Sasuke couldn't help but ask. "You are going to stay here?"  
  
"For some reason," Kakashi answered.  
  
The black haired boy immediately turned to his brother in anticipation.  
  
"As Konoha shinobi Uchiha Itachi, I protected my village one more time," his brother replied. "I no longer have any attachment to this world."  
  
Sasuke's eyes turned crimson at his words, three tomoes spinning restlessly in the pupils. For a moment it almost seemed that he was going to growl, but somehow he managed to restrain himself from losing his temper, and just snorted and looked away instead.  
  
"Kabuto," Itachi gave his order to Kabuto. "Stop the Edo Tensei now."  
  
Kabuto's hands slowly began to move at his command _. Rat, Ox, Monkey..._  
  
"Give my regards to Shisui when you see him," Kakashi said. "Hopefully I don't need to stay long here."  
  
Itachi nodded and smiled. "Good luck, Captain."  
  
Then he turned his gaze to Sasuke. Kakashi could clearly see that Itachi, who had been calm and indifferent all along, finally showed emotions in his eyes.  
  
_I'm reassured. I no longer have any attachment to this world._  
  
That's not true- No matter when he was alive or dead, all he cared about was forever his little brother.  
  
_Tiger, Dragon, Boar._  
  
_"Edo Tensei, release!"_ Kabuto raised his voice.  
  
Glaring white light burst out from both Kakashi and Itachi. Sasuke turned back abruptly, staring at Itachi and crying out, "Nii-san!"  
  
He strode ahead and reached out, fingers trembling, though didn't touch Itachi's cloak after all.  
  
Kakashi started to make hand seals. _Snake, Ram, Boar, Dog, Tiger._  
  
_"Release!"_  
  
As the word was yelled out, it seemed like something invisible on him silently broke into pieces, which made him feel relieved. The white light around him suddenly became even more blinding, while a wild wind coming from nowhere swept over the whole cave.  
  
"Sasuke, don't forget what I've said."  
  
Everything vanished into the light. Through the whistling wind Kakashi could hear Itachi's voice, gentler than any time before.  
  
_"I'm leaving."_  
  
When the light and the wind was all gone, there was no Uchiha Itachi in this world.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Next Chapter：Kakashi went back to Konoha with Sasuke to get his "secret weapon".  
> Phew... I think I really need a betareader. My English sucks.  
> Anyway, thank you for reading! Reviews are appreciated!


	9. The Same Eyes

**Chapter 9: The Same Eyes**

  
  
Itachi had gone. The remaining two stayed at their places, silently staring at where he had last been standing.  
  
"So,"Sasuke broke the silence, putting his hand onto his sword. He turned to look at Kakashi with his Sharingan and asked coldly, "you are now no longer controlled by Kabuto and can take actions at your own will. Are you still going to stop me?"  
  
"No," Kakashi shook his head. "Temporarily, no. I'm more in a hurry to see someone other than to stop you."  
  
"You mean Obito? You want to stop him?" Sasuke snorted. "Maybe it will be even harder than stopping me, don't say I didn't warn you."  
  
"Yeah, I know. But I need to give a try anyway, while I still have time... while it may still be possible to fix it in some degree, " Kakashi sighed, rubbing his face before looking at his student with a bitter smile. "If you want to laugh at me, then feel free to do so. I also feel myself can't be more ridiculous."  
  
But Sasuke didn’t. The ice in his eyes even melted a little instead.  
  
"...No. I understand," the black haired boy whispered. He looked away from his sensei's gaze. "Contrary situations though, when... when I heard about Itachi's truth, my feeling was similar to yours now, I think."  
  
The belief that had been held on to all along was turned upside down in a moment. The life that they had struggled to go through became a joke.  
  
Kakashi's eyes slightly widened. Then the surprise on his face slowly faded, and was replaced by a relieved smile.  
  
"Before going to meet Obito however, I need to go back to Konoha first for something. What about you?" He asked, tone a little bit brisker than before. "What are you going to do?"  
  
Sasuke's eyes became rarely blank at his question.  
  
Itachi had once again protected Konoha- which had forced him into such a position as a traitor of both his village and his clan, and given him so much agony. Despite being stigmatized, he had still treated himself as a Konoha shinobi, and concerned about the village.  
  
But... what is village? ...And what is shinobi?  
  
He looked at the man beside him.  
  
_"The lives of my living comrades and the will of the deceased ones; for me the village is just the embodiment of both of them. So I want to protect it."_  
  
_"And that's what being a ninja means for Hatake Kakashi. "_  
  
Both his brother and his sensei had given their answers. But what about his own one? After all, what should he...  
  
_"Sasuke, it's my fault if you became what you are now. I'm not really in the position for criticizing your decision."_  
  
_"You don't need to forgive me... No matter what you decide to do from now on, I will love you forever."_  
  
"I..." His voice trailed off, not knowing what to continue.  
  
_Bang!_  
  
Just then, a deafening explosion came up above them. Simultaneously Sasuke and Kakashi leapt away, and had weapons in their hands already before landing. Kakashi instinctively took one step ahead, intending to protect Sasuke with his own body.  
  
Two figures plummeted to the ground with plenty of rubbles. When the smoke cleared, what appeared in front of Kakashi were two unfamiliar faces. They seemed to be... Sasuke's new teammates?  
  
"Wow Sasuke! Here you are, finally... Whahhhh! You! You you you!" The light-colored haired boy's words confirmed Kakashi's guess. However, when the boy saw him, his expression turned into a horrified one as if Kakashi was a ghost, pointing at him and shouting. "Aren't you Kakashi of the Sharingan! Why are you still here while other reincarnated ones have all gone!"  
  
_Well, despite being Orochimaru's former subordinates... they are still kids._  
  
"Yo," Kakashi raised his hand as a greeting, eyes curled into a smile. "Nice to meet you guys, I'm Hatake Kakashi. You are members of Team Taka, aren't you?"  
  
"I shall thank you for... taking care of _our little Sasuke._ "  
  
He could feel a murderous stare immediately came from behind.  
  
"Dammit Kakashi, shut up and fuck off!" Sasuke snapped irritatedly. "Don't forget that you are still my enemy. I've said nothing like giving up my revenge or forgiving Konoha!"  
  
He then turned to Suigetsu and Juugo after hissing at his sensei, expression cold and indifferent. "Why do you come looking for me now?"  
  
"Oh... yeah! Listen, we found a really cool thing in the lair, you know..." Suigetsu started digging through his cloak.  
  
"How surprising," Juugo said suddenly, staring at Kakashi. "That there is actually another reincarnated one remaining in this world except for that Uchiha Madara."  
  
"What?!" Both Kakashi and Sasuke was astonished.  
  
"Hey don't interrupt when I'm talking to Sasuke!" Suigestu nudged Juugo away with his elbow. He bypassed Kakashi and came to Sasuke, shoving a scroll into the Uchiha's hand. "Look at this! That's the big one!"  
  
"What is it?" Kakashi naturally came to the other side of Sasuke, who gave him a squint but said nothing, while Suigutsu seemed very reluctant and mumbled. Kakashi held back a smile at the boy's reaction, but when he saw what was written in the scroll, he could no longer feel amused at all-  
  
The method of releasing a soul from the Dead Demon Consuming Seal.  
  
Kakashi couldn't help but gasp.  
  
_Minato-sensei..._  
  
"That's it," he heard Sasuke saying. His student was staring at the scroll without blinking, tone resolved as if he had made a decision. "The ones who know everything."  
  
"You're going to..." Kakashi understood instantly.  
  
"Yeah," Sasuke looked up at him with a try-to-stop-me-if-you-can expression.  
  
"I'm going to resurrect Orochimaru."

* * *

  
  
_What an absurd reunion,_ Kakashi thought despite himself when he saw a white snake coming out from Anko's cursed seal, and then Orochimaru from the mouth of the snake.  
  
Four years ago Orochimaru had planned to destroy Konoha and take Sasuke away; Sasuke had been given the cursed seal, his life hanging by a thread; and he had used the Evil Sealing Method to restrain the cursed seal for Sasuke, and determined to protect his student from that man at all cost, even his own life.  
  
Now four years had passed. Orochimaru had been killed by Sasuke, but now was resurrected by the same man; Sasuke and him had parted company, their positions had once been incompatible as oil and water, but now somehow turned into a rather balanced relationship; and he...  
  
He changed from a living man full of failure and regret to a walking dead full of more failure and regret.  
  
Kakashi only hoped that he could do something successfully and make up for his regret before he finally became a complete dead.  
  
"By the way, it was really unexpected that Sakumo's son failed to live much longer than him," the mention of his father's name drew Kakashi back to reality. He raised his head and saw both Orochimaru and Sasuke who seemed had finished their conversation looking at him. "What a sad story."  
  
Despite saying this, the Snake Sage was still smiling and didn't appear to be sad at all.  
  
_My childhood instincts proves correct. He is such a unpleasant man_ , Kakashi thought.  
  
“That boy is called Obito, right?” Orochimaru tilted his head. "Well... He seems to be an intriguing subject to study, too. However," he threw a glimpse at the young Uchiha next to him. "I'm now more interested in the new wind here. Sasuke-kun told me that you want to go back to Konoha, Kakashi... I didn't realize that sometimes you can be so reckless."  
  
"At least I don't do harm to others," Kakashi replied drily. "We have difference in essence. "  
  
"Wait... What on earth are you talking about?" Suigetsu poked his head out behind Juugo, eyes swaying between Kakashi and Orochimaru. "He's from Konoha, isn't he? Even he's dead now! Why do you call him reckless just because he wants to go back to see his hometown for the last time before leaving this world?"  
  
Orochimaru smiled.  
  
"He can't just go back to see his home and do nothing in such a crucial moment," the man said in a fairly amused tone, stucking out his long tongue. "What he really wants to do is-."  
  
_"-to gouge out that Sharingan out of his own corpse."_

* * *

  
  
As a shinobi who had served in ANBU for eight years, Kakashi knew the headquarter as well as his backyard, and could still remember every trap and secret passage in the building. Konoha had sallied forth in almost full strength for the war, and most ANBU agents had gone to the battlefield, so before reaching the secrecy chamber deep down underground, he had complete confidence to sneak to his destination without being noticed.  
  
Everything went fine, except for-  
  
Kakashi stopped in front of a tall iron gate which was covered with various seals, and sighed. He turned around to look at the boy behind him. "Aren't you eager to find out your answer? So why are you following me here?"  
  
"I can go wherever I want. It's my own business," Sasuke reasonably replied. "As your pupil, I want to catch up on how you had looked like when you died. Do you mean I can't do that?"  
  
"Okay, Okay. And you suddenly remember I'm your sensei. What a convenient excuse," Kakashi murmured resignedly and turned back. He started to make a series of hand seals very quickly. Complicated patterns emerged under his feet, all those lines and characters shimmering in faint blue, gradually getting connected to the seals on the gate. The blue light flowed into the seals like some liquid.  
  
The heavy iron gate silently swayed open. It was totally dark inside, chilly wind blowing directly into their faces.  
  
"So you don't mind if I see how you open it," Sasuke said, following Kakashi into the corridor.  
  
"Because it's unnecessary," the man answered idly. "Even if you are going to attack Konoha, you will prefer going straightforward rather than playing tricks. Am I right?"  
  
Sasuke snorted, annoyed. "Don't make it sound like you know me well!"  
  
"Shhh... You'd better be quiet even there may not be many people here. And I need to remind you that achieving your goal by all means is just what a real shinobi should- "  
  
_"Shut up."_  
  
They went all the way down the spiral stairs.  
  
The bottom of the stairs led to a narrow corridor. At the end of it there was a blank door with no sign on it. "Here we are," Kakashi told Sasuke, pointing at that door. "There should be two... no, three squads in it, since they are guarding _my_ body. I'll leave you the mission to take them down by genjustu. Any questions? "  
  
“You're really good at pushing others around,” Sasuke glared at him, hissing.  
  
"Well, since you are here anyway," Kakashi shrugged.  
  
Sasuke cursed silently. He gave his sensei a shove on the shoulder, indicating the other man to go first. Smiling beneath his mask, Kakashi carefully hid his chakra signature and moved forward.  
  
They sneaked to the door. Kakashi gave Sasuke a sign of getting ready before yanking it open.  
  
He was first greeted by several swords stabbing into his body, then gasps one after another.  
  
_Well, now I don't think ANBU wearing masks is a good idea_ , Kakashi thought amusingly. It's really a pity that he couldn't see the horrified expressions on his cute juniors' faces.  
  
"Yo," he said happily. "Long time no see, everyone."  
  
Just then Sasuke suddenly appeared from behind him, and his Sharingan started whirling rapidly.  
  
After a series of dull thuds, all twelve ANBU had fallen to the ground, unconscious.  
  
"Nice job," Kakashi snapped his fingers. "And please also erase us from their memories, Sasuke. I don't want to be famous for stealing my... own corpse... after... death."  
  
The humor in his voice trailed off when he saw the human-shaped object wrapped with layers of strips which had seal spells on it, laying on the platform ahead.  
  
Sasuke gave him a look before going to dispose of those ANBU. For once, he said nothing.  
  
His footsteps broke into Kakashi's thoughts. Clenching his fists, the silver haired jonin took a breath and walked over.  
  
It was not time to be sentimental.  
  
He stopped in front of the platform, taking out a blank seal scroll from his pouch, opening and putting it aside. He then made several hand seals and shouted, _"Release!"_  
  
The spells glowed red and slowly disappeared. Kakashi reached out and unwound the strips cautiously.  
  
"Why do you want to take back this eye?" Sasuke came to him. "You can't use it any more."  
  
"To be honest, I don't know," Kakashi answered absent-mindedly. "It's just my intuition- perhaps it can come in handy later. I've learned to trust my intuition after spending so many years on the battlefield."  
  
The last layer of strips was loosed while they were talking. Kakashi's hand immediately froze in the air.  
  
With an indescribable feeling, he looked down and scrutinized his own body. It probably remained basically the same as when he had been still alive, other than the excessively pale skin. Guy had once taken a picture of him sleeping in a hospital bed and it was _just like this._  
  
So that was all. A shinobi's life was always accompanied with death.  
  
"I can do it for you if you can't," Sasuke said nonchalantly. "Anyway, I've wanted to claw this eye out of your head since a long time ago."  
  
"....No, thanks," Kakashi declined his student's awkward kindness. He took a deep breath again, reaching out to the vertical scar on his face. "I... I can handle it myself."  
  
Despite saying this, he was thinking of another thing in his mind.  
  
_Back then in the cave, how had Rin felt when she took this eye out of Obito's eye socket?_  
  
It was too horrifying to contemplate.  
  
Forcing himself to empty his mind, he grasped that powerful yet vulnerable orb, and managed to tear it out. Unwilling to give it one more glimpse, he hurriedly put it onto the srcoll and sealed it within.  
  
Probably because his corpse had been really well kept, his blood had not completely coagulated. Underneath the sunken eyelid, blood trickled from the corners of his eye.  
  
As if it was a tear.  
  
"You didn't look like seriously wounded, and your expression was not painful," Sasuke spoke up again. Kakashi knew that his student was intending to distract him, and he inwardly appreciated it. "How did you die?"  
  
_Eh, speak of it..._  
  
"Mahh... I've exhausted all my chakra," Kakashi answered with an especially awkward smile, scratching the back of his head sheepishly.  
  
 "Well..."For a moment it seemed that Sasuke could say nothing but, "...appropriate for you."

* * *

  
  
When they left the secrecy chamber and returned to the overground, Kakashi had pushed himself together again. Standing on the rooftop of the Hokage Tower, the master and disciple looked down at the quiet streets below.  
  
"Time for me to go," said Kakashi. He slowly looked around as if he wanted to engrave everything in the village on his mind one final time. "I don't know if I'll have the chance to see you again... Well, you probably don't care about it. Anyway, I wish you can find the answer you want."  
  
"What if," Sasuke suddenly said when Kakashi was about to leave. The young Uchiha stared at the Hokage Mountain in the distance, deadpanned. "What if I still decide to destroy Konoha after finding the answer? There are mostly chuunin, genin and civilians here now, and it will be the best starting point of my revenge. "  
  
He turned to look at Kakashi with his Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan.  
  
"And you may be the only one that can stop me. Don't want to do something with it?"  
  
Kakashi stopped and sighed.  
  
"I've told you everything that I should and could tell you, Sasuke," he said quietly. "And you're not a kid to obediently listen to others. If what Itachi has told you could not reach your heart, then nor could mine."  
  
"Persuasion is not the only way to stop me."  
  
"Well that's right," Kakashi nodded. "Yeah... If I were still alive, maybe I would have tried to stop you even if it would meant that I must kill you or killed by you. But I'm already dead. I know it sounds inconceivable, but people may change their mind after death no matter how ingrained it has been... And I also learned more about you from Itachi in the Tsukuyomi world. I decided not to interfere with you any more."  
  
"You, Naruto and Sakura... You are no longer kids," he looked at Sasuke mildly. "I can't be by your side forever... I can't do that already. And I can't always be there, ready to correct every mistake of yours at any time- sometimes I even don't know if it is a mistake. You'll one day need to make your own choice, to use your own eyes to see the way ahead."  
  
"I only hope that it's really what you want to do in your heart. I only hope that you won't regret for your decision... won't follow Itachi's or my wrong footsteps."  
  
He looked away towards the direction of the battlefield. "It's for only one reason that I still remain in this world. I just want to take my responsibility and do what I need to do before leaving."  
  
"What if Obito refuses to listen to you?" Sasuke asked after a long silence. "Unlike me... he's been stuck to his belief for so many years. He's been long walking on his own path. I don't think he will change his mind easily- I don't even think there is any possibility."  
  
"Yeah. You Uchihas are always stubborner than others," Kakashi smiled and sighed. The smile soon disappeared. "I don't know. I can only try my best. I hope he can see something else other than his path. After all we share _the same pair of eyes_... I hope he can see what I've seen, and continue seeing them for me in the future."  
  
Sasuke couldn't help but touched his own eyes. Itachi's eyes.  
  
"Let's stop here," Kakashi ended their conversation. He put on the mask that had been taken off from an ANBU before. "Give my regards... to Minato-sensei."  
  
Under the gaze of his former student, the silver haired jonin made his hand seals and soon vanished in swirling leaves.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Next chapter: The mask cracked.  
> Thanks for reading! Reviews are appreciated.


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